ULATIONS 


of  a 

c-X 


PRINCE55 


BY-THE-AUTHOR-OF 

THE- MART  YRDOM-OF-AN-EMPRESS  j 


flf  CAUF.  UWUmr.  I. OS 


THE  PRINCESS  MUZZI 


THE  TRIBULATIONS 
OF    A     PRINCESS 

With  Portraits  from  Photographs 


BY  THE  AUTHOR  OF 

"THE    MARTYRDOM   OF 
AN    EMPRESS" 


1901 

HARPER  &   BROTHERS   PUBLISHERS 
NEW     YORK     AND     LONDON 


Copyright,  1901,  by  HARPER  &  BROTHERS. 

All  rights  reserved. 

June,  igoi. 


TO 

MY    BOY 

FROM 

HIS    FOND    MOTHER 

1  Ce  livre  est  toute  ma  jeunesse  ; 

Je  1'ai  fail  sans  presque  y  songer ; 
II  y  parait,  je  le  confesse, 
Et  j'aurais  pu  le  corriger." 

'Mais 

Au  passe  pourquoi  rien  changer? 
Va-t'en,  pauvre  oiseau  passager; 
Que  Dieu  te  mene  a  ton  adresse  !" 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

THE    PRINCESS   MUZZI Frontispiece 

A   RECOGNITION   OF   MY   FATHER'S   BRAVERY       ....  Facing  p.  44 

PETIT    PIERROT "  80 

NO   LONGER   PIERROT,  BUT   MARGUERITE "  98 

MUZZI   IN   HER   FAVORITE  GARB "  156 

TO   MANY   A    SPHYNX  ! "  I&2 

MY    FAVORITE   HUNTER    "GOLDEN    ARROW" "  184 

"  MILADI  !"      .,.,.,.,,,,,.,,  "  348 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A  PRINCESS 


CHAPTER  I 

"A  much-discerning  public  hold, 
The  singer  generally  sings 
Of  personal  and  private  things, 
And  prints  and  sells  his  past  for  gold. 

"  Whatever  I  may  here  disclaim, 
The  very  clever  folk  I  sing  to 
Will  most  indubitably  cling  to 
Their  pet  delusion,  just  the  same." 

"  I  DON'T  say  but  what  you  are  not  a  good  little  gen- 
tleman when  you've  a  mind  to,  but  his  lordship  he  is 
uncommon  particular  about  this  'ere  eagle,  and,  if  you 
don't  leave  it  alone,  I'll  carry  you  away  before  you  can 
so  much  as  say  Davy  Jones,  my  little  lord." 

Thus  spoke  Mr.  Jinks,  the  English  stud-groom  and 
general  factotum  of  my  father,  laying  a  gentle  but 
firm  hand  on  my  velveteen-clad  shoulder,  and  draw- 
ing me  away  from  the  stout  wooden  enclosure  inside 
of  which  a  gigantic  male  eagle  circled  round  and  round 
at  the  end  of  a  long,  slender  chain  of  steel  that  was 
securely  clasped  about  its  horny  left  leg. 

This  eagle,  which  my  father  had  winged  on  one  of  our 
frequent  expeditions  along  the  rugged,  precipitous  cliffs 
that  formed  part  of  the  boundary  of  our  old  family 
estate,  was  a  source  of  continual  delight  and  admiration 

A  I 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

to  me.  I  had  begged  hard  for  its  life  when  it  dropped 
at  our  feet,  with  one  of  its  enormous  pinions  broken 
by  my  father's  unerring  shot,  and  from  that  moment 
I  felt  that  I  had  a  very  positive  claim  on  this  magnifi- 
cent bird — the  emblem  to  me  of  power,  strength,  and 
imperial  beauty. 

"  Let  me  go,  Jinks/'  I  cried,  excitedly,  slipping  from 
the  man's  grasp.  "  That  bird  is  as  good  as  mine.  Why 
do  you  meddle  ?  I  only  want  to  give  it  some  raw  meat 
which  I  got  from  the  chef  on  purpose  for  him." 

"All  right;  throw  it  to  the  brute,  then,  while  I'm 
a-watchin'  of  you ;  but  you  please  stay  at  a  respectable 
distance,  for  that  'ere  chap  is  dangerous,  and  would 
peck  out  your  bonny  eyes,  or  tear  you  to  pieces  with  its 
ugly,  big  claws,  as  quick  as  it  would  look  at  you ;  and, 
what's  more,  my  lord  he  says  to  me,  says  he,  'Look 
to  it,  Jinks,  that  the  youngster  he  don't  go  too  near  to 
that  bird ' ;  and  I  answers,  '  You  can  trust  me,  sir,  he 
won't.'  So  you  see,  my  little  lord,  I'm  bound  to  obey 
horders,  and  so  are  you,  for  the  matter  of  that !  It's  not 
many  noblemen  as  is  to  be  compared  with  your  daddy ; 
never  grudgin'  a  servant  his  privileges,  never  wrongly 
out  of  temper,  with  always  a  kind  word  ready,  and  a 
free  hand  with  the  tips.  Oh,  he  is  a  thoro'bred,  every 
inch  of  him,  he  is !  A  real  gentleman,  and  no  mistake ; 
not  one  of  them  blessed  parvenouse  as  don't  know  one 
end  of  a  'orse  from  t'other,  and  who  gives  themselves 
hairs  just  the  same ;  but  a  true-born  haristocrat.  And 
as  for  me,  I'll  be  damned  if  I  care  what  I  do  for 
him." 

With  which  peroration  Jinks  took  the  now  empty 
meat-basket  from  my  hand  and  marched  me  through 
the  shrubbery  into  the  saddle-room,  which  was  one  of 
my  favorite  haunts. 

This  little  incident  took  place  a  great  many  years 


THE  TRIBULATIONS    OF  A   PRINCESS 

ago — more,  indeed,  than  I  care  to  count ;  and  yet  it  is 
still  as  vivid  in  my  mind  as  if  it  had  occurred  yester- 
day, doubtless  because  it  did  not  end  with  this  admoni- 
tion from  my  father's  faithful  retainer,  but  indeed  came 
pretty  near  to  costing  me  my  life. 

Childlike,  I  took  but  scanty  notice  of  Jinks's  warning, 
and  morning  after  morning  I  stole  Indian  fashion  from 
bush  to  bush  to  visit  my  friend  the  eagle.  I  invariably 
spoke  to  it  as  I  would  have  spoken  to  a  human  being, 
and  as  if  it  were  thoroughly  able  to  comprehend  my 
every  word.  I  fed  it  with  choice  morsels  coaxed  from 
the  chef,  who  was  the  arch-enemy  of  Mr.  Jinks,  and 
who  was  delighted  to  aid  and  abet  me  in  my  disregard 
of  that  worthy's  injunctions.  Indeed,  so  great  was 
my  affection  for  the  superb  bird  that  I  gave  him  the 
grandiloquent  name  of  "  Fnlvius,"  probably  because 
my  tutor,  an  erudite  and  distinguished  priest,  told  me 
that  it  was  a  remarkable  specimen  of  the  Aquila  Fulva. 
Bolder  and  bolder  did  I  become,  till  at  last  I  decided  to 
waive  all  precaution  and  to  climb  into  the  eagle's  sand- 
ed domain,  in  order  to  meet  it,  as  it  were,  on  an  equal 
footing.  Wasted  chivalry,  indeed! 

So  eager  was  I  to  put  this  brilliant  plan  into  execu- 
tion, and  to  avoid  discovery,  that  I  selected  for  my  es- 
capade the  moment  when  I  knew  that  my  father  was 
changing  his  riding-dress  for  a  shooting-coat,  and 
Jinks  superintending  the  rubbing-down  of  the  horse 
and  pony  from  which  we  had  just  dismounted.  Care- 
fully and  secretly  I  approached  my  goal,  and,  after 
propitiating  "  Fulvius"  with  a  bit  of  raw  steak — which, 
I  am  sorry  to  confess,  had  been  brought  thither  in  the 
pocket  of  my  knickerbockers — I  vaulted  over  the  rail- 
ing and  walked  fearlessly  towards  the  great  bird. 

To  my  amazement  the  eagle  dropped  his  prize  and 
hurled  himself  at  me  with  ruffled  plumes,  snapping 

3 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

beak,  and  clutching  talons,  while  his  yellow  eyes  turned 
a  fierce  red.  An  unconscious  instinct  of  self-preserva- 
tion made  me  cover  my  face  with  my  arms  and  drop 
flat  upon  the  ground ;  but  as  I  did  so  it  flashed  through 
my  little,  active  mind  that  I  was  done  for,  and  that  it 
served  me  jolly  well  right,  too ! 

The  report  of  a  gun,  followed  by  a  soft,  choking 
weight  of  warm  flesh  and  feathers  that  covered  me  from 
head  to  foot,  was  the  last  I  knew.  When  I  awoke  from 
what  must  have  been  a  swoon,  I  lay  trembling  on  my 
father's  breast;  and  looking  up  into  his  blanched  face 
with  a  sense  of  confusion  that  made  my  head  dizzy, 
I  murmured,  feebly: 

"What  is  it?" 

There  was  no  reply,  except  a  tightening  of  the  strong 
arms  that  held  me.  Then  the  whole  scene  came  back 
to  me  with  a  shock,  and  the  consequences  of  my  dis- 
obedience brought  such  a  feeling  of  shame  that  I  burst 
into  tears,  and,  clinging  to  my  father's  neck,  sobbed 
piteously : 

"  Oh,  pardon  me,  papa !  I  did  not  mean  to  pain  you 
so  much!  Please,  please  pardon  me!" 

"  Hush !  Don't  cry,  Pierrot !  You  must  not  be  a  baby. 
It  is  not  like  you  to  give  way  so.  Let  us  forget  all  about 
it.  You  are  sufficiently  punished  now,  and  we  can  let 
the  matter  drop." 

It  was  just  like  my  father — this  little  speech — just 
like  his  usual  kindness  and  generosity,  for  now,  as 
always,  he  tried  to  spare  my  budding  pride,  and  there- 
fore I  felt  better  at  once.  When  he  put  me  on  my  feet 
again,  my  luckless  encounter  with  "  Fulvius"  seemed 
to  drift  away  like  a  bad  dream,  but  yet  my  whole  mind 
was  filled  with  remorse  at  the  thought  that  I  had  caused 
the  death  of  my  beautiful  eagle. 

No  words  can  describe  my  admiration  and  gratitude 

4 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

when  I  learned  that  my  really  miraculous  rescue  was 
due  to  my  father.  It  appeared  that  from  his  dressing- 
room  window  he  had  seen  me  climb  over  the  forbidden 
rails,  and,  seizing  a  gun  from  a  table  near  by,  he  had 
shot  the  bird  in  the  very  nick  of  time.  The  range  was 
so  long,  the  aim  so  accurate,  that  this  feat  of  arms  be- 
came proverbial  throughout  the  country.  My  young 
imagination  was  ablaze  with  a  sort  of  adoring  respect, 
and  more  than  ever  now  I  compared  this  dear  father 
of  mine  to  the  heroes  of  chivalry  whom  I  was  ever  so 
eager  to  read  or  to  hear  about. 

I  do  not  think  that  there  ever  was  a  closer  relation- 
ship between  a  man  and  a  little  child  than  that  which 
existed  between  my  father  and  me.  Our  affection  was 
an  uncommon  one,  for  I  became  his  constant  compan- 
ion as  soon  as  I  could  walk.  At  three  years  of  age 
I  was  put  on  a  pony.  At  five  I  thought  nothing  of  fol- 
lowing the  hounds,  or  of  tramping  for  hours  together 
through  the  salt-marshes  which  line  the  Brittany  coast, 
trying  my  skill,  with  a  diminutive  rifle,  on  sea-fowls,  or 
on  the  rock -rabbits  and  hare  that  dwelt  in  the  gorse 
and  heather. 

My  little  cot  nestled  close  to  my  father's  huge  balda- 
quined  bed,  for,  though  my  own  room  opened  into  his, 
I  begged  so  hard  not  to  be  forced  to  sleep  there  that  I 
gained  my  point,  and  morning  after  morning  my  first 
glance  was  for  him,  my  first  idea  to  plan  out  the  day's 
excursions  and  rambles  with  him. 

From  where  I  lay  I  could  look  through  portieres  into 
my  little  sanctum,  which  had  been  furnished  by  his 
orders  in  imitation  of  a  Brittany  peasant's  room. 

The  bed,  shaped  like  a  cupboard,  was  of  heavy,  carved, 
pear-tree  wood,  with  the  heads  of  cherubs  and  of  chubby 
smiling  angels  shining  forth  from  the  dark,  primitive, 
sculptured  panels.  The  draw-curtains  attached  thereto 

5 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

were  of  white  serge  lined  with  crimson  cloth,  and,  like 
the  coverlet,  were  embroidered  in  multicolored  silks  and 
golden  threads,  as  the  fete- clothes  of  the  paludier — 
the  workers  of  our  salt-marshes — are  to  this  day.  At 
the  head  of  this  curious  couch  stood  a  little,  ponderously 
carved  praying-stool  surmounted  by  a  wooden  image 
of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  whose  outstretched  arms  always 
seemed  to  offer  comfort  to  my  strange  and  impulsive 
little  soul.  The  walls  were  wainscoted,  and  the  dra- 
peries of  the  windows  and  doors  were  of  white  em- 
broidered serge,  while  my  toys,  books,  and  other  most 
treasured  possessions  were  enclosed  in  tall  bahuts — 
those  capacious  presses,  which  are  the  pride  of  all  Bre- 
ton housekeepers. 

It  was  a  severe  style  of  decoration  for  a  child's  apart- 
ment, yet  it  did  not  seem  so  to  me,  because  I  was  brought 
up  in  a  somewhat  Spartan  way,  without  any  molly- 
coddling— to  use  a  familiar  expression — and  because 
the  severity  of  the  apartment  was  relieved  by  the  most 
superb  view  which  I  have  ever  seen  in  my  life,  framed 
by  two  deeply  niched  windows.  The  tossing  mass  of 
great  Atlantic  rollers,  encircled  on  each  side  by  high 
cliffs  of  bluish  granite,  against  which  they  broke  in 
prismatic  spray,  were  a  never-ending  source  of  delight 
to  me. 

The  dear  old  ancestral  castle,  all  ivy-grown,  with  its 
turrets  and  battlements,  stands  up  grimly,  like  the  ever- 
vigilant  sentinel  of  these  wild  regions,  for  it  is  wholly 
unhurt  by  six  hundred  years  of  storms  and  tempests, 
and  is  still  firm  at  its  post  on  the  very  edge  of  the  preci- 
pice. Its  balconies,  sculptured  by  the  hands  of  dead-and- 
gone  artists,  overhang  one  hundred  and  eighty  feet  of 
sheer  rock,  that  form  a  natural  buttress  for  the  waves 
and  shelter  the  pebbly  beach,  where  at  low  tide  I  de- 
lighted to  fish  for  crabs,  prawns,  and  all  the  other  mar- 

6 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

vellous  beasts  and  shells  left  behind  by  the  retreating 
water  in  deep  translucent  pools. 

My  only  trials  in  those  happy  days  were  ray  school- 
room hours,  though  they  were  made  as  pleasant  as 
possible  by  my  tutor,  who  was  the  kindest  and  most 
saintly  of  priests.  He  acted  as  chaplain,  too,  and  every 
morning  at  six  o'clock  said  mass  in  the  private  chapel 
of  the  castle,  with  that  impressive  simplicity  which 
rises  from  a  pure  and  faithful  heart.  How  often  have 
I  in  later  life  regretted  my  attempts  at  shirking  his 
gentle  teachings  in  those  school-hours!  But  I  was 
ever  a  sad  truant,  and  often  appealed  to  my  father  for 
freedom,  especially  during  the  hunting  season. 

"  William  of  the  Long  Sword  could  not  write  or  read, 
papa,  and  in  those  splendid  days  knights  and  nobles 
never  learned  anything/'  I  said  to  him  once,  wistfully. 

"You  little  scamp,"  he  replied,  laughing,  "is  this 
what  you  use  your  so  arduously  obtained  knowledge 
for,  to  quote  history  with  embarrassing  Apropos.  Now 
let  me  tell  you,  my  boy,  that  King  Ethelstane  of  Eng- 
land, who  lived  at  the  same  period  as  did  this  precious 
William  of  yours,  insisted  upon  all  his  nobles  being 
taught  to  read  and  write,  and  Foulques  le  Bon  once 
wrote  to  the  then  King  of  France,  "  Apprenez,  Monsei- 
gneur,  qu'un  Roy  sans  lettres  est  un  Ane  couronne!" 

With  true  Breton  stubbornness  I  made  up  my  mind, 
nevertheless,  not  to  heed  the  wise  remarks  of  Foulques 
le  Bon,  and  I  gave  no  credit  to  a  king  who,  like  Ethel- 
stane of  England,  tortured  his  brave  nobles  with  learn- 
ing. But  to  please  my  father — and  for  that  reason 
only — I  did  try  to  be  more  attentive  and  to  behave  my- 
self in  a  way  befitting  a  knightly  youth,  when  Monsieur 
1'Abbe1  took  up  his  daily  duties  as  my  instructor  and 
mentor. 

Jinks  thought  exactly  as  I  did  on  the  subject  of  sci- 

7 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

ence,  and  many  were  the  long  discussions  we  had  in  the 
sanctity  of  the  saddle-room  concerning  this  sore  trial. 

"You're  a  lad  o'  wax,  my  little  lord/'  the  stud- 
groom  would  say.  "  Strike  me  a  loser  if  you  ain't  in  the 
right  to  hate  these  'ere  lessons.  Why  they  should  all 
be  a-tryin'  to  bother  your  sleek  little  'ead  with  grammar 
and  all  that  sort  of  stuff,  when  what  you  need  to  know 
is  only  'ow  to  sit  your  'orse  straight  and  'andle  your 
gun  proper  in  the  open  or  under  cover  is  what  beats 
me.  Why,  bless  you,  my  lovely,  there's  no  need  of 
learnin'  for  the  like  of  you,  for  there's  a  deal  in  blood, 
and  you've  got  that,  and  no  mistake.  Heducation  is 
bosh  for  them  as  is  not  school-teachers,  and  in  my  mind 
is  more  'armful  than  hen  viable." 

Such  was  Mr.  Jinks's  philosophy,  and  I  might  as  well 
confess  at  once  that  it  met  with  my  unalloyed  approval. 
Jinks  was,  in  my  opinion,  the  very  pink  of  perfection, 
for  he  was  a  splendid  fellow  on  horseback  and  a  great 
four-in-hand  whip.  And  then  he  was  so  very  amusing 
when,  as  we  sat  together  in  the  saddle-room,  he  would 
blow  the  froth  off  his  pewter  and  tell  me  long  yarns  about 
the  fine  times  he  had  when  he  was  a  boy  and  rode  race- 
horses on  the  Downs  for  his  master,  a  celebrated  horse- 
breeder 

I  have  not  as  yet  spoken  of  my  mother,  which  may 
seem  strange,  but  the  fact  is  that  this  beautiful  woman, 
of  a  graceful,  dark,  Spanish  type  of  loveliness — although 
she  is  by  birth  a  Russian — was  to  me  throughout  my 
childhood  a  remote  Deity,  unapproachable  on  the  fa- 
miliar, tender,  and  affectionate  plane  upon  which  my 
father  stood.  I  admired  her  deeply  a  distance,  and 
used  to  be  very  proud  when  I  heard  complimentary 
remarks  made  about  the  perfection  of  her  tea-rose  skin, 
her  flashing  black  eyes,  and  her  long,  raven  hair,  and 
I  can  well  remember  often  amusing  myself  by  lying 

8 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

down  on  the  carpet  of  her  dressing-room  and  watch- 
ing her  slender  curved  feet,  which,  when  unshod,  I  used 
to  think  formed  natural  arches,  like  little  bridges. 

Talented,  witty,  with  that  sharp,  caustic,  merciless 
wit  which  often  cuts  like  the  lash  of  a  whip,  she  was 
singularly  entertaining  and  clever,  and  yet  some- 
how I  never  felt  easy  when  I  was  with  her,  and  I  avoid- 
ed her  as  much  as  possible.  She  awed  me  sometimes ; 
but,  strange  to  say,  she  excited  me  to  revolt  against 
any  authority  save  my  father's. 

Her  Muscovite  imperiousness,  her  slow,  mocking 
smile,  and  her  extraordinary  severity  repelled  me; 
and  I  would  as  soon  have  thought  of  confiding  my 
little  troubles  and  joys  to  a  marble  statue  than  to  this 
elegante,  whom  I  had  once  overheard  saying  that  I 
was  a  distressingly  homely  child,  and  by  no  means 
a  credit  to  two  families  as  famous  for  their  good  looks 
and  splendid  figures  as  her  own  and  my  father's  are. 

I  was  a  mere  baby  then,  barely  five  years  old,  I  take 
it,  but  her  words  remained  indelibly  impressed  on  my 
brain,  and  I  felt  humiliated  and  terribly  hurt.  Was  I 
a  monster?  Perhaps  I  was.  I  knew  that  I  was  very 
small  for  my  age,  very  pale,  and  with  big,  changeful, 
gray  eyes  that  seemed  to  eat  up  half  of  my  tiny  face. 

When  I  heard  this  unfortunate  sentence  I  was  crouch- 
ing behind  a  curtain  in  the  central  hall,  playing  with 
a  bull-pup,  one  of  my  dearest  possessions,  and  with  a 
child's  innate  tact  I  kept  perfectly  quiet  until  my  mother 
had  drawn  her  trailing  silks  and  laces  up  the  staircase 
on  her  way  to  dress  for  dinner.  Then,  with  a  beating 
heart,  I  bounded  across  the  floor  and  planted  myself 
in  front  of  a  huge  mirror  that  filled  in  an  entire  panel 
of  the  otherwise  tapestried  walls.  Ruthlessly  pushing 
aside  the  fronds  of  some  tall  ferns  and  palms  which 
decorated  the  base  of  the  mirror,  I  stood  on  tiptoe  and 

9 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

surveyed  my  reflection  with  the  curiosity  one  feels  when 
meeting  an  absolute  stranger. 

The  fires  of  the  great  twin  hearths  at  either  end  of  the 
large  apartment  were  leaping  into  bright  rosy  flames, 
and  created  a  dancing,  fitful  but  vivid  glow  that  showed 
me  my  small  self  plainer  than  daylight  could  have  done. 

It  chanced  so  that  on  that  particular  occasion  I  wore 
a  white  serge  sailor  suit,  the  wide,  drooping  collar  of 
which  was  relieved  by  a  deep  band  of  sky-blue  silk 
with  little  silver  anchors.  I  could  not,  for  the  life  of 
me,  discover  the  motive  or  the  reason  that  had  caused 
my  mother  to  speak  so,  for  in  my  own  humble  inner 
consciousness  I  thought  that  I  looked  every  inch  a 
bright  and  active  little  sailor-boy,  and  a  very  well- 
dressed  one  at  that. 

What  thoughts  may  have  raced  through  my  un- 
formed brain  I  do  not  remember.  Probably  resent- 
ment against  my  mother  had  the  upper  hand,  but  soon 
my  natural  insouciance  regained  the  mastery,  and, 
shrugging  my  shoulders — a  detestable  habit,  which 
drove  my  decorous  maternal  relative  to  desperation — 
I  ran  headlong  up-stairs  to  my  own  room,  whistling 
loudly  as  I  went.  There  I  consoled  myself  by  think- 
ing that  a  man,  when  all  is  told,  is  in  no  real  need  of 
physical  beauty,  and  that  by-and-by  I  would  grow  up 
to  be  as  tall  as  my  father,  who  was  a  regular  giant,  even 
if  I  could  not  hope  to  be  as  handsome  as  he,  and  then 
also,  to  tell  the  plain  and  unvarnished  truth,  I  knew  that 
he  loved  me  just  as  I  was,  which  was  quite  sufficient  a 
reason  to  make  me  scorn  anybody  else's  prejudices. 

I  was  very  strong,  in  spite  of  my  delicate  slenderness 
— "just  as  strong  as  a  box-plant,"  papa  would  say;  and 
then  he  would  add :  "  You  weary  your  mother  with  your 
restlessness.  Come  out  on  the  moor  with  me,  where  ex- 
ercise will  quiet  you  down,  if  such  a  thing  be  possible!" 

10 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

During  the  shooting  season  my  indefatigable  little 
legs  would  plough  through  the  furze  and  broom  and 
heather  of  the  landes  in  a  continuous  effort  to  keep  up 
with  my  father's  big  strides,  and  all  the  year  round 
I  was  out-of-doors,  wandering  on  the  pebbly  beach,  on 
the  heath,  or  about  the  gardens,  shouting  with  glee 
when  a  plover  or  a  gull  rose  screeching  above  the 
salt-marshes,  yelling  myself  hoarse  with  delight  when 
the  tumultuous  waves  came  thundering  upon  that  por- 
tion of  the  shore  which  is  honeycombed  with  deep, 
sonorous,  mysterious  caves  ceaselessly  echoing  the 
voice  of  the  ocean. 

At  other  times  I  was  content  to  lie  on  the  top  of  the 
cliffs,  looking  down  upon  the  salt-marshes  stretched  out 
in  the  sunlight  below  me,  like  great  square  panes  of 
glass  that  reflected  the  dark  or  rose-hued  clouds  above. 
The  conical  heaps  of  salt,  ready  to  be  carted  away, 
looked  to  my  vivid  imagination  like  the  tents  of  a 
cavalry  camp.  And  again  and  again  I  inhaled  rapt- 
urously the  breezes  that  having  brushed  over  all  that 
brine  smelled  of  crushed  violets  and  filled  my  lungs 
with  health  and  vigor. 

This  happy  existence  lasted  until  I  was  eight  years 
old,  varied  only  by  autumnal  house -parties,  which 
were  limited  usually  to  three  series  of  guests.  I  de- 
tested these  times,  simply  because  my  father  would  be 
with  me  less  then.  The  state  apartments  were  opened ; 
the  great  dining-hall  was  used  in  preference  to  the 
octagonal  room  that  overlooked  the  bay.  My  father 
and  mother  usually  dined  together  in  this  cosey  room, 
when  we  were  alone.  When  the  above-mentioned 
guests  were  present,  I  was  brought  in  every  evening 
at  dessert,  clad  in  a  white  velvet  suit,  with  broad  lace 
collar  and  cuffs,  silk  socks,  and  little  white  patent- 
leather  court-pumps.  I  felt  intensely  savage  on  such 

ii 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

occasions,  and  could  not  help  disliking  all  these  people, 
who  disturbed,  no  doubt  unconsciously,  the  even  tenor 
of  my  life  for  the  time  being. 

"An  ungainly  and  ungracious  child,"  my  mother 
frequently  declared,  with  one  of  her  chilling  little  smiles ; 
and,  truly,  looking  back  upon  those  far-off  times,  I  can 
easily  realize  how  galling  it  must  have  been  to  her, 
sitting  at  the  head  of  her  superbly  appointed  table — 
the  embodiment  of  feminine  elegance,  chic,  and  beauty 
— to  watch  my  quaint,  silent  ways,  the  contempt  with 
which  I  repulsed  all  blandishments.  Eh!  even  my  in- 
difference to  bonbons  and  sweets — coldly,  not  to  say 
disdainfully,  refused  when  her  fair  lady  friends  tried 
to  coax  me  to  accept  that  dainty  bait. 

All  I  wanted  to  do,  and  all  I  enjoyed  doing,  was  to 
climb  upon  my  father's  knee  and  there  sit  within  the 
curve  of  his  encircling  arm,  absolutely  passing  judg- 
ment upon  those  exquisitely  dressed,  idle  women,  whom 
I  could  not  bring  myself  to  admire.  Often  when  he 
carried  me  up  to  bed  I  would  burst  into  a  flood  of  pas- 
sionate tears,  cling  desperately  to  him,  and  beg  him 
to  send  away  all  those  bad,  cruel  people,  who  kept  him 
from  me.  It  seems  to  me  as  if  I  could  still  hear  him 
saying,  soothingly: 

"But,  my  little  one,  what  makes  you  feel  so  unhap- 
py? Surely  you  know  that  I  love  you  better  than  all 
the  world  put  together,  you  foolish  little  kitten!" 

"  Then  send  them  away,  dear,  dear  papa.  I  want  you 
all  alone  to  myself,  and  I  hate,  hate,  hate  them!" 

Sometimes  he  tried  severity.  At  least,  I  presume  he 
fancied  that  I  would  mistake  for  serious  displeasure 
his  assumed  frown  and  his  terrible  threat  of  "going 
down-stairs "  and  leaving  me  all  alone  if  I  did  not  in- 
stantly stop  so  disgraceful  and  unseemly  an  outburst. 
But  I  was  at  no  pains  to  see  through  all  that ;  and  it  was 

12 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

only  when  he,  as  a  last  resort,  ended  by  saying :  "  Vous 
me  faites  de  la  peine,  mon  petit  enfant,"  that  the  hard- 
ness at  my  heart  would  melt  like  snow  and  that  I  would 
humbly  beg  him  to  pardon  me,  promising  to  behave 
better  on  the  morrow.  Unfortunately  my  love  for  him 
was  so  strong  that,  like  all  other  intense  loves,  it  bred 
bitter  jealousy,  and  my  promises  were  only  kept  as 
long  as  his  hand  held  mine,  and  I  was  in  his  imme- 
diate presence. 

A  little  before  my  eighth  birthday  I  noticed  that  my 
mother,  who  was  usually  as  strong  as  a  steel  blade  in  a 
velvet  scabbard,  began  to  grow  singularly  delicate  in 
health.  Her  beautiful  Irish  mare,  "  Lady  Jane,"  was 
no  longer  saddled  for  her  use,  but  had  to  be  exercised 
by  the  grooms.  Instead  of  taking  part  in  the  numer- 
ous dinners  and  fetes  given  that  spring  in  the  neigh- 
boring chateaux — neighborhood  is  an  elastic  word  in 
Brittany,  where  the  distances  are  abnormally  long — 
this  beautiful  mother  of  mine  lay  frequently  on  the 
lounge  in  her  boudoir.  Often  she  failed  to  join  us  in 
the  castle  chapel  at  early  mass,  and  I  noticed  also 
that  my  father  devoted  much  more  of  his  time  to  her, 
redoubling  his  ever-chivalrous  care,  attending  to  her 
slightest  comforts  and  loading  her  with  costly  gifts. 

This  seemed  very  unreasonable  to  me,  for  she  had 
never  been  so  fretful  or  so  difficult  to  please,  and  I 
speechlessly  wondered  at  his  long-suffering  patience, 
for  I  knew  how  quick-tempered  he  was  and  how  intoler- 
ant of  languor  and  peevishness.  Nevertheless,  this 
was  perhaps  the  happiest  period  of  my  life,  for  I  was 
more  than  ever  before  his  companion.  Moreover,  it 
was  at  that  time  that  he  presented  me  with  a  larger 
pony  than  my  old  pet — almost  a  cob,  indeed — who  re- 
joiced in  the  high-sounding  name  of  "Rob  Roy." 

How  I  did  enjoy  the  swift  gallops  over  hill  and  dale, 

13 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

across  grass  and  forest-land  and  the  jumping  of  ditches 
and  hedges  in  the  teeth  of  the  cold  wintry  wind  that 
tossed  my  cap  over  my  nose!  At  such  moments  I 
laughed  heartily,  for  my  father  said  that  I  looked  like 
a  little  blind  beggar.  Delightful,  too,  were  the  long 
rides  home,  when,  tired  out  but  thoroughly  happy,  I 
gazed  up  at  the  handsome  face  that  looked  down  upon 
me  so  merrily  from  the  dizzy  heights  of  the  big  bay 
horse  "Moonshine"  or  the  glorious  English  mare 
"Ninette."  Alas!  the  remembrance  of  those  glorious 
days  has  been  pregnant  with  bitter  regrets  through 
the  long  years  that  followed. 

Far  be  it,  however,  from  me  to  imitate  Stendhal,  and 
to  make  these  reminiscences  of  my  life  a  continuous 
and  wearying  anthem  glorifying  my  own  personality, 
as  it  were,  like  that  eminently  introspective  man  who 
thought  his  to  be  the  central  pivot  of  the  universe. 
Alas,  my  personality  is — now  especially — too  slender 
a  one  to  be  of  general  interest.  But  I  cannot  go  on 
with  my  present  task  without,  so  to  speak,  making  my 
unworthy  self  a  little  too  prominent.  And  so,  kind 
reader,  have  patience  with  me,  and  do  not  accuse  me 
of  egotism  or  vanity  if  I  dwell  at  some  length  upon  the 
days  of  my  childhood ;  for  they  are  the  pedestal  of  the 
strange  existence  which  has  fallen  to  my  lot,  an  exist- 
ence wherein  I  have  many  times  had  reason  to  be  thank- 
ful that  I  came  from  a  race  of  reckless,  merry  soldiers 
and  of  high-handed  seigneurs.  For  it  is  some  heri- 
tancy  of  their  courage  and  their  energy  which  has 
helped  me  to  carry  life's  heavier  burdens  at  the  sword's 
point,  I  might  say.  Inherited  qualities  are  the  only 
ones  which  one  may  be  proud  of.  Like  most  sporting 
people,  I  am  an  implicit  believer  in  hereditary  influ- 
ences, and  I  am  glad  to  be  able  to  bless  mine  instead 
of  having  to  blush  for  them. 

14 


CHAPTER  II 

"  Und  es  wallet  und  siedet,  und  brauset,  und  zischt 

Wie  wenn  Wasser  mit  Feuer  sich  mengtl 
Bis  zum  Himmel  spritzet  der  dampfende  Gischt, 

Und  Flut  an  Flut  sich  ohn'  Ende  drangt; 
Und  will  sich  nimmer  erschopfen  und  leeren 
Als  wollte  das  Meer  noch  ein  Meer  gebaren." 

NEW  YEAR— or,  as  we  call  it,  "  Le  Premier  de  TAn  " 
—  was  always  solemnized  with  much  pomp  at  home. 
Such  was  my  eagerness  to  reach  this  blissful  day  that, 
with  childlike  inconsequence,  I  slept  uneasily  for  many 
nights  before  it  dawned.  I  would  lie  for  hours  together, 
wide-eyed  and  restless,  thinking  of  the  great  illuminated 
fir-tree  which  was  always  prepared  for  me  on  St.  Sylves- 
ter's Eve,  instead  of  at  Christmas,  as  is  done  in  Eng- 
land, Germany,  Austria,  and  Russia,  and  would  plot 
and  plan  about  the  gifts  which  it  was  my  especial  joy 
to  shower  upon  all  those  about  me. 

I  was  always  allowed  to  select  these  gifts  myself, 
according  to  my  own  taste,  and  this  was  a  pleasure  to 
look  forward  to  indeed.  My  dear  old  tutor,  Monsieur 
1'Abbe,  was  my  only  companion  on  these  shopping 
expeditions,  and  he  frequently  had  cause  to  raise  his 
eyebrows  to  the  roots  of  his  silvered  hair,  and  to  lift  his 
dimpled,  admirably  kept  hands  in  dismay  towards 
an  unkind  Heaven,  when  my  choice  fell  upon  a  more 
than  ordinarily  incongruous  object. 

The  unfortunate  Abbess  position  as  my  sage  Mentor, 
was  no  sinecure,  for  I  was  what  is  commonly  called 
"  a  handful,"  and  his  ideas  of  the  dignity  with  which 

15 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

a  young  personage  of  my  rank  and  race  should  com- 
port himself  were  continually  upset  by  my  erratic  be- 
havior. 

How  clearly  I  remember  that  last  happy  New  Year's 
Eve  and  the  day  preceding  it !  Clad  in  a  costume  of 
dark-green  velvet  and  furs,  copied  with  much  freedom 
of  invention  from  Cossack  uniforms,  I  entered  the  brough- 
am, where  the  delightful  old  Priest  awaited  me,  in 
order  to  drive  to  the  nearest  town.  It  was  twelve  miles 
over  a  road  that  ran  along  the  picturesque  and  capri- 
cious shores  of  the  bay  and  then  turned  into  a  great  wood 
of  pines  and  cork-oaks — a  lonely  spot,  where  I  looked 
about  with  delicious  shivers  of  anticipation  for  a  glimpse 
of  some  straying  Kourrigan  or  Farfadet.  Perhaps  1 
half  hoped  to  see  the  Fay  Melusina  herself,  flitting 
about  under  the  dense  shadows  cast  by  those  evergreen 
trees.  On  that  memorable  day  I  remember  that,  in 
spite  of  my  extremely  poetical  and  romantic  inclinations 
with  regard  to  fairies  and  hobgoblins,  I  was  holding 
my  foot  in  my  hand  and  singing,  mezzo  voce,  a  few 
choice  bars  of  a  song  the  sailors  on  my  father's  yacht 
Ichtis  were  wont  to  shout  at  the  top  of  their  leathern 
lungs : 

"  C'est  les  trois  Cancrelats 
Qu'on  mis  la  patte  au  plat — 
Au  plat  du  Capitaine — 

Dondaine — 
Au  plat  du  Capitaine!" 

"What  on  earth  are  you  singing,  Pierrot?"  exclaimed 
Monsieur  1'Abbe",  in  amazement.  "That  is  hardly 
proper  French  for  you,  nor  yet  a  proper  sort  of  song, 
is  it?" 

Quite  unabashed,  I  stopped  singing,  and,  looking  up 
into  the  kind  blue  eyes  where  I  caught  the  suspicion  of 
a  smile,  I  said,  quietly : 

16 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

"Oh,  that's  a  chanson  de  Mathurin  (a  fo'c's'le  song), 
which  sailors  sing  when  they  are  very  drunk.-" 

"  And  may  I  inquire  where  you  heard  sailors  singing 
when  in  that  shocking  condition?" 

"Ah,  well,  sailors  are  always  drunk  when  they  are 
at  sea,"  I  replied,  simply;  and  with  renewed  jubilation 
I  intoned  another  song  from  my  repertoire,  which  be- 
gan: 

"  U'n  brise  a  faire  plier  1'pouce — 
Rigi,  rigo,  riguingo  ! 

Avec  le  coeur  en  gargousse — 
Rigi,  rigo,  riguingo  I 
Oh,  riguinguette  1" 

"  That's  very  pretty  indeed,  and  I  am  pleased  to  hear 
what  exquisite  melodies  you  learn.  You  apparently 
have  more  aptitude  for  them  than  you  do  for  your  les- 
sons, and  I  will  take  care  to  mention  this  to  your 
attendants  and  to  prevent  you  from  roaming  about  on 
the  yacht." 

"Oh,  Monsieur  1'Abbe",  you  wouldn't  deprive  me 
of  my  little  amusements,  would  you?"  I  pleaded, 
with  so  much  earnestness  that  the  dear  old  man  could 
not  help  laughing.  "Why  don't  you  show  more 
clemency  to  me,  like  the  chap  in  Horace  which  you 
make  me  study  about.  You  know  he  says : 

" '  .  .  .  Je  ferai  justice; 
J'aime  a  la  rendre  a  tous,  a  toute  heure,  en  tout  lieu !' " 

"Why,  Pierrot,  you  are  becoming  too  pert,  my  child! 
It  is  not  seemly  that  you — "  But  all  further  remon- 
strance was  cut  short  by  our  entry  into  that  quaint  old 
Breton  town  which  I  have  described  elsewhere,  and 
which  is  the  most  perfect  little  mediaeval  jewel  of  a 
city  that  one  can  imagine. 

We  soon  reached  the  Place  du  Parvis,  where  the 
B  17 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

ancient  cathedral  casts  the  checkered  shade  of  its 
stone  lace-work,  blackened  by  season  after  season  of 
exposure  to  wind  and  weather.  All  around  the  square 
the  houses  are  turreted  and  gabled,  and  their  high- 
pointed  roofs  of  dark-blue  slate,  stained  here  and  there 
with  pale  golden  patches  of  lichen,  are  marvellously 
preserved.  The  dusky  little  shops  on  the  ground-floor 
display  in  faded  lettering  over  their  narrow  show-win- 
dows the  names  of  the  present  owners,  which  for  the 
matter  of  that  are  the  same  as  those  that  stood  there 
hundreds  of  years  ago.  One  is  conservative  in  Basse- 
Bretagne,  and  a  son  takes  up  his  father's  trade  from 
generation  to  generation. 

I  pranced  into  the  largest  of  these  enticing  empo- 
riums followed  by  the  Abbe",  and  lost  no  time  in  doing 
my  best  to  drive  the  unfortunate  shop-keepers  half 
crazy  with  my  boundless  demands  upon  their  patience. 
Long  I  remained  undecided,  hesitating  between  antique 
Armorican  jewels,  relics,  objects  of  piety,  and  more 
modern  but  less  artistic  tokens  of  nineteenth-century 
industry.  Finally,  I  pounced  upon  a  very  gorgeous 
blue  velvet  pin-cushion  adorned  with  sea-shells  and 
provided  with  a  mirror  which  had,  alas,  the  curious 
propensity  of  distorting  everything  that  it  reflected, 
and  in  loud  tones  I  declared  that  I  would  give  it  to  my 
mother. 

"But,  Pierrot,"  whispered  the  Abbe,  "please  don't 
scream  so,  moreover,  your  lady  mother  would  not  for 
a  moment  dream  of  placing  this  extraordinary  object 
upon  any  of  her  beautiful  dressing-tables." 

"Oh  yes,  she  would;  there's  a  mirror,  you  know — 
she  does  so  like  mirrors.  And  then,  Monsieur  l'Abb£, 
please  remember  that  you  are  to  let  me  buy  just  what  I 
like.  That's  the  bargain.  I'm  to  be  good,  and  so  are 

you." 

18 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

Against  such  rhetoric  there  was  naturally  no  ap- 
peal, and  Monsieur  1'Abb^  merely  gave  me  a  look  which 
afforded  me  some  food  for  reflection  and  bade  the  highly- 
amused  clerk  wrap  up  the  ungainly  pin-cushion  and 
send  it  to  the  carriage. 

"Have  you  chosen  nothing  for  your  father?"  added 
Monsieur  1'Abbe,  considerately. 

"Is  it  likely  that  I  should  ever  forget  papa?"  I  re- 
sponded, hotly;  and  then,  turning  to  the  glass  case 
where  the  antique  jewels  sparkled  on  a  bed  of  faded 
white  satin,  I  pointed  to  a  delicately  wrought  Breton 
heart  and  crown  of  burnished  gold,  whereon  the  fol- 
lowing sentence  in  Gaelic,  "Our  hearts  are  one,"  was 
incrusted  in  small  rubies. 

This  time  Monsieur  1'Abbe"  made  no  observation  or 
comment,  even  when  the  very  lofty  price  of  the  little 
jewel  was  mentioned,  and  I  even  fancied  that  his  feat- 
ures perceptibly  softened,  and  he  certainly  was  exem- 
plarily  patient  in  listening  during  the  long  drive  home 
to  the  "  Rigi,  rigo,  riguingo "  of  my  beloved  sailor 
songs. 

The  New  Year  ceremonies  in  Brittany  are  very  quaint 
and  original.  On  St.  Sylvester's  Eve  I  went  into  ec- 
stasies at  the  sight  of  my  fir-tree,  which  was  fifteen  feet 
high.  It  glittered  like  some  heavenly  toy  decorated 
by  the  angels  with  bits  of  sunlit  clouds  and  streams 
of  silver  moon-rays,  stars,  planets,  and  constellations 
of  all  descriptions.  It  was  hung  also  with  Paradisaical 
fruits  and  flowers,  and  with  presents  which  were  really 
far  too  valuable  to  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  so  young 
a  child.  The  village  lads  stood  outside  in  the  Cour 
d'Honneur  singing  the  habitual  carol,  which  I  give 
here  just  as  it  amused  me  to  jot  it  down  from  memory 
on  my  blotting-pad  a  while  ago  1 

19 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 


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To  my  huge  delight  I  was  permitted  to  stay  up 
for  the  reveillon,  a  gorgeous  supper  of  a  very  indi- 
gestible kind,  which  begins  at  eleven  o'clock  and  lasts 
till  one  or  two  in  the  morning,  with  a  view  of  start- 


20 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

ing  the  New  Year  on  its  way  right  merrily,  glass  in 
hand. 

The  Christmas  reveillon  and  midnight  mass  were  also 
occasions  of  the  purest  enjoyment  to  me,  in  spite  of  the 
fact  that  I  felt  very  sleepy.  For  these  nights  were  the 
only  ones  out  of  the  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  when 
I  was  allowed  to  remain  out  of  bed  after  eight  o'clock. 

I  still  always  love  to  dwell  in  thought  upon  the  cus- 
toms which  prevail  along  the  shores  of  dear  old  Brittany! 
not  so  much  where  railroads  have  invaded  the  country 
and  cast  hosts  of  tourists  upon  the  beaches,  but  in  my 
own  dear  Basse  -  Bretagne,  where  the  usages  of  by- 
gone days  have  been  preserved  in  all  their  purity  and 
charming  quaintness.  Visitors  are  a  rarity  in  the  lit- 
tle villages,  hamlets,  and  tiny  fortified  towns  that  sur- 
round my  old  home.  Now  and  then  an  artist  or  so, 
perchance,  happens  upon  the  place  during  the  heat 
of  the  summer  months,  but  that  is  a  very  exceptional 
occasion,  and  even  to  them  does  the  true  life  of  the  peo- 
ple remain  absolutely  unbeknown.  This  is  rather  a 
pity,  for  the  ways  of  the  Bas- Bretons  are  far  from 
commonplace,  tant  s'en  faut ;  and  no  doubt  they  would 
prove  of  considerable  interest  to  those  who  like  the 
piquancy  of  what  diverges  from  the  beaten  track. 

I,  for  instance,  never  can  forget  the  queer,  nay,  the 
touching  ceremonies,  both  religious  and  otherwise, 
which  I  witnessed  so  many  a  time  on  the  stormy  coast 
of  the  Mer  Sauvage,  that  dusky,  romantic  promon- 
tory where  my  childhood  was  passed,  and  I  often  com- 
pare them  very  disfavorably  with  the  senseless,  fussy, 
expensive,  and  downright  vulgar  ways  of  celebrating 
popular  fetes  in  other  parts  of  the  world  which  I  have 
since  visited.  When  once  one  has  crossed  the  bound- 
ary-line separating  the  last  branch  of  the  railroad  from 
our  true  Bretagne  au  coeur  dore,  one  must  needs  say 

21 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

good-bye  to  all  modernism  and  finicky  civilization,  and 
one  feels  one's  self  suddenly  transported  into  the  far 
dimness  of  the  Middle  Ages. 

Reading  and  writing  are  considered  by  our  peasants 
as  quite  extraordinary  accomplishments,  enviable  and 
awful  in  their  mysterious  grandeur,  and  almost  unat- 
tainable for  any  save  the  Cure,  Monsieur  le  Maire, 
and  the  Seigneur — an  appellation  still  in  use  where 
the  Lord  of  the  Manor  is  concerned.  The  thatched- 
roofed  houses  of  these  strange  peasantry  are,  as  a  rule, 
windowless,  the  door  alone  serving  to  admit  light, 
through  its  upper  pane  of  greenish  thick  glass.  Their 
food  is  of  the  roughest,  consisting  of  soupe  aux  choux, 
black  bread,  salt-pork,  salt-fish,  and  sour  milk.  Yet 
these  good  people  are  happy,  and  they  enjoy  their  rude, 
wholesome  life  far  more  than  does  many  a  Crcesus, 
gorged  with  millions  and  luxuries  galore!  The  Bret- 
on's honesty  of  purpose,  simplicity  of  mind,  quiet  cour- 
age, sturdy  loyalty,  and  deep,  unquestioning  faith  are 
to  be  met  nowhere  else  in  the  world,  and  if  they  be  some- 
times a  little  superstitious,  they  should  be  forgiven,  for 
their  whole  conduct  indicates  that  they  truly  believe  in 
the  reward  of  their  virtues  and  the  punishment  of  their 
faults  after  death,  which  belief  is  in  itself,  one  is  bound 
to  state,  a  grand  and  beautiful  source  of  comfort  and  of 
consolation  while  here  below. 

Christmas  in  Brittany  is  a  strictly  religious  feast.  It 
includes  the  midnight  mass,  and  after  this  even  the 
humblest  families  enjoy  a  hearty  supper,  wonderfully 
cooked  before  the  monumental  hearth  of  granite,  inside 
which  are  fastened  benches  reserved  for  les  vieux 
(the  old  ones) .  But  New  Year  is  the  time  for  pleasure 
— as  I  have  already  said — for  dancing,  for  rejoicing, 
and  also  the  occasion  of  rather  weird  doings.  The  Bret- 
ons are  a  rather  mournful  race.  They  have  something 

22 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A    PRINCESS 

of  the  sadness  of  the  ocean  mixed  with  their  nature.  So, 
when  I  speak  of  their  pleasures  and  rejoicings,  I  do  not 
mean  what  most  other  nations  would  understand  by 
these  words.  For  even  their  dances  in  no  way  resem- 
ble the  airy  motions  of  the  waltz,  the  polka,  or  the  min- 
uet. They  are  heavy  and  ponderous,  and  are  carried 
out  to  the  strains  of  a  semi-barbaric  music,  consisting 
chiefly  of  the  sounds  made  by  bignious  (bagpipes).  The 
costumes  of  the  peasants  lend  weight  to  the  extraordi- 
nary deliberation  of  their  motions.  For  the  tracht  has 
been  preserved  for  hundreds  of  years  in  all  its  integrity ; 
and  what  with  the  heavy  woollen  stuffs,  thick  bullion 
embroidery,  and  silk  kerchiefs  of  the  women,  and  the 
numerous  vests  and  coats  surmounting  the  wide,  many- 
folded  breeches  of  the  men,  the  dancers  have  but  little 
chance  to  disport  themselves  airily. 

St.  Sylvester's  Eve!  What  an  event  these  words 
bring  back  to  mind ! 

On  the  night  of  this,  the  last  of  the  three  hundred  and 
sixty-five  days  of  weary  travail  and  privation,  many 
superstitions  hold  sway.  Those  I  allude  to  are  prob- 
ably known  only  to  such  people  as  have  been  born 
and  bred  in  the  most  secluded  and  untravelled  portions 
of  Brittany. 

The  old  legends,  which  are  still  looked  upon  almost 
as  actes  de  foi,  are  strangely  pathetic  and  interesting. 
One  in  particular  haunted  my  childhood  with  its  glitter 
of  gems  and  its  possibilities  of  unlimited  wealth.  So 
dearly  do  I  love  a  good  yarn  that  I  cannot  resist  the 
temptation  of  setting  this  one  down  here,  as  a  sample 
of  the  pretty,  mystical  tales  which  rocked  my  early 
dreams. 

My  father's  old  nurse,  who  was  then  nearly  seventy, 
and  who  looked,  with  her  snowy  coiffe  and  her  dear 
wrinkled  face,  like  the  incarnate  spirit  of  mediaeval  Ar- 

23 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

morica,  used  to  tell  it  to  me  again  and  again  at  dusk,  in 
a  thrilling  voice,  pregnant  with  faith.  She — poor  old 
soul — believed  it  to  be  true  in  every  detail,  and  so  did  I 
in  those  days. 

"Ever  so  many  years  ago,  when  the  angels  had  not 
as  yet  turned  their  faces  quite  away  from  the  wicked- 
ness of  the  world,  and  when  the  land  was  not  infested 
with  as  many  devils  as  it  is  now,  there  lived  in  Finisterre 
a  stalwart  lad,  handsome  as  daylight,  who  loved  a  lass, 
beautiful  and  true.  But,  alas!  the  girl's  father  was 
rich;  for  he  owned  four  fields,  an  acre  of  salt-marshes, 
and  a  clump  of  cork-oaks,  and  of  course  he  would  not 
hear  of  giving  his  little  daughter  to  a  sailor-boy  who 
earned  but  a  mere  pittance  by  risking  his  life  day  and 
night  on  the  cruel  sea  in  a  cockle-shell  of  a  fishing-boat. 
And  so  the  lad  and  the  maid  were  very  unhappy  and 
mourned  their  wretched  lot  when  they  met  by  stealth 
on  the  edge  of  the  landes. 

"  It  was  Christmas  Eve,  and  on  his  return  from  the  mid- 
night mass  the  lad,  whose  name  was  Marie-Pierre,went 
to  the  stable  and  threw  himself  wearily  down  on  a  bundle 
of  straw  in  an  empty  stall.  He  found  here  a  warm  and 
comfortable  spot  where  he  could  be  alone  with  his  sor- 
row, undisturbed  by  the  noisy  rejoicings  of  the,  reveillon. 

"Fatigue,  however,  soon  overpowered  him,  and  he 
fell  into  a  deep  sleep. 

"When  he  had  slept  a  little  while  he  was  suddenly 
aroused  by  the  sound  of  voices  close  beside  him.  The 
tones  were  strange,  muffled,  and  unnatural,  and  filled 
him  with  a  nameless  terror,  which  he  had  never  felt  be- 
fore, for  he  was  no  coward.  For  a  few  minutes  he  lay 
with  closed  eyes  listening  intently,  and  trying  to  find 
out  who  had  spoken.  Meanwhile  he  trembled  sorely 
and  searched  mechanically  for  the  rosary  in  his  pocket, 
to  preserve  himself  from  malefices. 

24 


THE  TRIBULATIONS    OF   A   PRINCESS 

"An  uncontrollable  curiosity  at  last  compelled  him 
to  raise  his  head  cautiously  and  to  look  up.  The  barn 
was  dimly  lighted  by  a  great  horn  lantern,  but  his 
sight  was  rendered  so  acute  by  fear  that  he  could  see 
almost  as  well  as  in  broad  daylight.  Again  and  again 
he  glanced  into  every  nook  and  corner,  but  could  dis- 
cover no  one  in  the  stable.  Only  the  cattle  stood  near 
by,  knee-deep  in  thick  litter,  yet  a  voice  came  from  a 
stall  near  by.  The  occupant  of  this  stall  was  a  very 
aged  ox,  kept  on  the  place  more  in  gratitude  for  his  past 
services  at  the  plough  than  with  any  idea  of  possible 
further  use.  Marie-Pierre  peeped  through  a  chink  in 
the  wooden  partition  separating  him  from  the  decrepit 
animal,  and  to  his  horror  discovered  that  it  was  the  old 
ox  that  was  talking. 

"  For  a  few  seconds  he  was  paralyzed  with  amazement. 
Then  like  a  flash  the  memory  of  an  old  legend,  accord- 
ing to  which  animals  are  endowed  with  the  power  of 
speech  on  Christmas  Eve,  between  midnight  and  day- 
break, rushed  through  his  mind,  and,  though  a  cold 
shudder  shook  him,  he  resolved  to  keep  absolutely  quiet, 
so  as  not  to  lose  a  particle  of  what  was  going  on. 

"  When  the  ox  had  completed  the  sentence  which  had 
awakened  Marie-Pierre,  the  thread  of  discourse  was 
taken  up  by  an  equally  antiquated  donkey  at  the  farther 
end  of  the  stable. 

"'Ah!'  exclaimed  the  latter,  'how  blind  men  are  not 
to  understand  the  true  ways  of  nature!  If  they  were, 
for  instance,  told  that  we  are  able,  on  Christmas  Eve, 
to  speak  as  well  as  they  do  themselves,  they  would  only 
shrug  their  shoulders  and  laugh  in  scorn  at  so  prepos- 
terous an  idea. ' 

'"Men  only  care  for  us/  retorted  the  ox,  sententious- 
ly,  'because  we  help  them  to  earn  money.  Money 
is  all  they  care  for!  Yes,  yes!  money  alone,  and — 

25 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

aha!  if  they  only  knew  it — I,  old  and  feeble  and  despised 
as  I  am  now,  could  tell  the  wisest  of  them  where  un- 
dreamed gold  and  riches  are  to  be  found  in  such 
abundance  that — ' 

'  What  on  earth  are  you  talking  about,  old  friend?' 
interrupted  the  donkey.  '  You  must  of  a  truth  be  get- 
ting on  towards  your  dotage  to  tell  such  extravagant 
tales,  or  else  the  clover  and  Christmas  oats  have  gone 
to  your  head/ 

" '  Laugh  away/  exclaimed  the  ox,  extremely  nettled 
by  the  donkey's  remarks.  '  But,  for  all  that,  I  can  as- 
sure you  that  during  the  Vigil  of  St.  Sylvester,  once  in 
every  hundred  years,  at  the  stroke  of  midnight,  the  old 
Druidical  stones  of  Plouhinec,  a  mile  from  here,  leave 
the  spot  where  they  have  stood  during  so  many  long 
and  weary  centuries  and  go  down  to  the  sea  to  drink 
their  fill.  Beneath  the  place  which  they  leave  vacant 
while  thus  doing  are  great  pits  filled  to  the  brim  with 
treasure,  and  I  have  been  told  long  ago  by  my  sire  that 
the  glitter  of  the  stones  which  men  call  diamonds,  the 
soft  gleam  of  pearls,  the  fiery  light  of  rubies,  heaped 
up  therein,  make  a  halo  around  the  spot  equal  to  the 
brightest  moonshine.' 

'Whew!'  brayed  the  donkey,  excitedly,  'that  must 
forsooth  be  a  grand  sight!  But  how  is  this  treasure 
to  be  reached?' 

" '  The  treasure  is  unknown  to  humanity,  for  this 
secret  has  never  been  betrayed,  and  even  if  men  knew 
about  it  they  could  not  touch  it,  for  the  stones  would 
rush  back  and  crush  the  thieves  like  insects  under  their 
awful  weight,  unless  the  blood  of  a  Christian  be  sacri- 
ficed to  the  spirits  which  animate  these  monuments  of 
past  and  pagan  ages/ 

"As  the  ox  pronounced  these  last  words,  a  distant 
bell  boomed  forth  the  hour  of  daybreak.  This  was  the 

26 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

end  of  the  time  allotted  to  the  animals  for  speech,  and 
with  a  deep-drawn  sigh  they  relapsed  into  silence. 

"  More  dead  than  alive,  Marie-Pierre  lay  in  a  sort  of 
trance,  stunned  by  what  he  had  heard.  Could  all  this 
be  true?  Could  it  be  within  his  reach  to  become  one  of 
the  wealthiest  men  on  earth,  and  thus  to  win  the  hand 
of  his  own  true  love?  A  cold,  clammy  perspiration  gath- 
ered on  his  brow,  and  he  shook  in  every  limb  at  the  mere 
thought  of  the  great  fortune  which  seemed  almost  wTithin 
his  grasp.  Gradually,  however,  he  grew  more  accus- 
tomed to  the  idea,  and  a  firm  resolve  filled  his  heart, 
to  make  the  attempt  and  to  enrich  himself  by  robbing  the 
stones  of  some  of  their  treasure,  if  human  strength  and 
courage  were  of  any  avail  to  accomplish  so  terrifying 
a  deed. 

"  The  light  of  dawn  was  stealing  into  the  stable  when 
he  at  last  got  up  from  the  straw  which  had  served  him 
as  a  bed.  All  was  still  as  he  made  his  way  to  the  door, 
but  when  he  was  about  to  open  it  he  stopped  transfixed 
with  astonishment ;  for  there,  stretched  before  him,  lay 
a  human  form.  It  was  that  of  an  old  man,  miser- 
ably clothed  in  rags,  with  long,  unkempt  locks  of  griz- 
zly hair,  falling  in  disorder  about  his  emaciated  face. 
Marie-Pierre  drew  nearer,  and  recognized  him  as  an 
old  beggar  of  evil  repute,  who  was  wont  to  wander 
about  the  country  craving  his  daily  bread  from  the 
peasants  and  fishermen.  On  the  impulse  of  the  mo- 
ment he  bent  over  him,  caught  him  rudely  by  the 
shoulder,  and  called  out: 

"What  are  you  doing  here,  Kerrick,  and  who  al- 
lowed you  to  enter  a  decent  Christian  barn?' 

"The  old  man  opened  his  glittering  eyes,  which 
shone  strangely  from  his  parchment-like  countenance, 
like  jewels  in  a  charnel-house,  and  shaking  the  young 
man  off,  said,  with  an  ugly  grin : 

27 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

"'Keep  quiet,  my  lad.  You  and  I  had  better  be 
friends.  There  is  much  at  stake  if  we  can  agree! 
Moreover,  your  master  allowed  me  to  take  shelter  in 
his  stable  last  night,  and  I  thank  the  spirits  that  he 
did  so!' 

"Marie-Pierre  saw  at  once  from  these  words  that  the 
aged  wizard — for  so  he  was  generally  held  to  be  —  had, 
like  himself,  heard  the  conversation  of  the  animals, 
and  he  realized  that  he  must  submit  to  all  that  might 
be  asked  of  him,  even  if  it  were  necessary  to  share  with 
Kerrick  the  treasures  of  Plouhinec.  In  this  he  was 
right.  The  old  beggar  proposed  that  they  unite  in  the 
attempt,  and  after  a  heated  discussion  they  finally  de- 
cided to  go  together  on  the  Vigil  of  St.  Sylvester  to 
the  Bay  of  Plouhinec,  and,  if  they  really  found  the 
words  of  the  ox  to  be  true,  to  unite  their  efforts  in  tak- 
ing away  all  the  gold  and  precious  stones  they  could 
carry. 

"  During  the  week  which  followed  this  eventful  night, 
poor  Marie-Pierre  lived  as  one  in  a  dream,  and  by  the 
3 1st  of  December  he  was  almost  sick  with  anxiety 
and  feverish  expectation.  To  while  away  the  time — 
the  weather  being  too  stormy  for  him  to  go  to  sea — 
Marie-Pierre  often  visited  the  wild  portion  of  the  landes 
where  stood  the  enormous  granite  memorials  of  pagan- 
ism, from  which  he  sanguinely  hoped  to  gain  limitless 
wealth.  During  this  period  of  enforced  idleness  it  came 
to  pass  that  a  sweet  and  pious  thought  entered  his 
heart,  so  that  he  set  to  work  with  chisel  and  ham- 
mer, and  carved  a  cross  upon  the  gaunt  side  of  the  tallest 
stone,  taking  much  trouble  and  great  pains  to  perfect 
this  symbol  of  Christianity,  which  his  simple,  faithful 
soul  worshipped. 

"At  last  the  long  and  weary  days  came  to  an  end, 
and  by  eleven  o'clock  on  the  Vigil  of  St.  Sylvester  he 

28 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

and  old  Kerrick  started  for  the  treasure  Bay  of  Plou- 
hinec.  The  weather  was  very  cold  for  Brittany,  and 
the  waves  were  rolling  heavily  with  a  deep  roar  upon 
the  beach,  eighty  feet  below  them,  as  they  walked  along 
the  edge  of  the  cliffs.  All  about  them  rose  huge  piles 
of  menhirs,  dolmens,  and  cromlechs — the  sacred  Dru- 
idical  stones  of  the  time  of  the  Gauls — looking  ghostly 
and  weird  and  terrifying  in  the  fitful  rays  of  the  moon, 
that  now  and  again  glided  behind  banks  of  tempest  - 
laden,  angry  clouds.  It  was4  almost  midnight  when 
the  two  trembling  fortune-hunters  reached  the  spot 
where  the  gigantic  bowlders  known  as  the  stones  of 
Plouhinec  raise  their  rugged  and  hoary  summits  tow- 
ards the  blackness  of  the  sky.  Silently  they  crouched 
behind  a  rock  near  a  steep  incline  that  led  down  to  the 
beach,  and  there  they  waited,  gazing  eagerly  at  the 
apparently  immovable  masses  of  gray,  storm-beaten 
granite  before  them. 

"  The  minutes  seemed  to  drag  like  hours,  but  at  last 
the  dim  sound  of  a  far-away  church  bell  was  wafted 
towards  the  uneasy  pair  as  it  began  to  strike  the  mid- 
night hour. 

"  One,  two,  three — a  smothered  cry  escaped  the  parch- 
ed lips  of  Marie-Pierre,  for  he  could  no  longer  doubt! 
The  stones  were  slowly  oscillating  on  their  bases. 
They  swayed  to  and  fro,  faster  and  faster,  with  a  heavy, 
sickening,  swinging  motion,  till  at  the  last  stroke  of 
twelve  they  tore  themselves  from  their  heather-grown 
sockets  and  rolled  pell-mell  down  the  incline  on  their 
way  to  drink  at  the  sea. 

"For  several  minutes  the  old  man  and  the  lad  re- 
mained spellbound,  then  they  rushed  towards  the 
places  left  vacant  by  the  erratic  stones  of  Plouhinec. 

"Oh!  what  a  sight  met  their  eyes!  In  the  cold 
light  of  the  moon  shining  brightly  now,  diamonds 

29 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

sparkled  amid  heaps  of  gold  bars  and  nuggets.  Rubies, 
emeralds,  and  sapphires  glittered  and  scintillated  and 
twinkled  like  so  many  wicked  eyes  tempting  them  to 
enter  the  open  flank  of  the  earth. 

"'Fill  your  pockets!  Hurry!  Hurry!  Hurry!' 
roared  Kerrick,  scrambling  into  one  of  the  yawning 
pits  and  filling  with  handful  after  handful  of  gems  a 
capacious  canvas  bag  which  he  had  had  the  forethought 
to  bring  with  him.  Almost  blindly  Marie-Pierre  obeyed 
these  directions,  groping  for  the  precious  stones  and 
thrusting  them  into  his  pockets  and  the  bosom  of  his 
shirt  as  quickly  as  his  trembling  hands  would  permit. 

"Suddenly  a  fearful  rumbling  noise  reached  their 
ears. 

"'The  stones  are  coming  back!'  shrieked  Kerrick, 
and  as  he  spoke  the  great  blocks  hove  in  sight,  rolling 
back  towards  them,  up  the  steep  incline,  knocking 
against  each  other  in  their  terrific  haste  to  reach  the 
post  which  they  were  to  occupy  for  a  century  to  come. 

"'We  are  lost!'  cried  poor  Marie-Pierre,  despairingly, 
struggling  to  his  feet. 

"'You  are — not  I/  yelled  the  old  beggar,  throwing 
himself  on  him. 

"At  this  frightful  moment  the  wretched  lad  remem- 
bered the  last  words  of  the  ox's  revelation — namely,  that 
the  blood  of  a  Christian  could  alone  pacify  the  spirits 
which  animated  the  stones.  Kerrick,  to  save  himself, 
was  going  to  kill  him,  for  there  was  the  flash  of  a  keen 
knife  in  his  upraised  hand. 

"  But  Kerrick  had  reckoned  without  his  host.  He  did 
not  know  that  by  Marie-Pierre's  pious  deed  one  of  the 
stones  had  become  a  Christian  monument,  and  just 
as  the  murderer  was  about  to  accomplish  his  foul  pur- 
pose the  foremost  block  of  granite,  on  the  gaunt  side  of 
which  the  Holy  Cross  had  been  carved,  knocked  the 

30 


THE   TRIBULATIONS    OF   A   PRINCESS 

beggar  into  eternity  and  placed  itself  like  a  sheltering 
guardian  before  Marie-Pierre,  defending  him  from  the 
onslaughts  of  its  grim  companions  which  tipsily  took 
possession  of  their  reconquered  coign  of  vantage. 

"  A  long  and  terrible  shriek  of  agony  rent  the  air,  and 
then  there  reigned  a  silence  profound  like  that  of  death. 

"On  the  cliff  near  Plouhinec  there  stands  a  rugged 
line  of  gray  and  lichen-grown  stones,  which  date  as  far 
back  as  the  days  of  the  Druidical  cult  —  eh!  and  long 
before  that  time  even,  before  the  days  when  0nydf  was 
reverenced  and  when  the  Celtic  people  turned  to  their 
high -priests  as  if  they  were  divine  beings.  On  the 
largest  and  haughtiest  of  them  all  one  may  see  to-day 
a  rudely  carved  cross.  The  good  people  of  that  region 
call  it  la  croix  miraculeuse  de  Marie-Pierre,  and  the 
richest  maitre-paludier  for  many  miles  around,  who 
owns  great  tracts  of  salt-marshes,  fields,  woods,  and 
pastures,  claims  to  be  a  lineal  descendant  of  the  young 
fisherman  whose  sudden  and  marvellous  access  to  fort- 
une brought  him  the  desire  of  his  heart — namely,  the 
hand  of  the  prettiest  girl  in  Plouhinec. " 

Old  Gaud — which  is  the  Breton  for  Marguerite — 
always  concluded  her  story  by  telling  me:  "Little  do 
we  know,  little  can  we  guess,  all  the  strange  things 
that  once  used  to  be." 

And  then,  in  her  high,  quavering  voice,  she  would 
sing,  to  a  dirge-like  air : 

"  Wisdom  is  wanted 
By  him  who  travels  widely; 
He  who  nothing  knows 
And  sits  among  the  wise, 
Becomes  a  gazing-stock." 

For  she  used  to  be  full  of  old  proverbs  and  ancient 
lays,  and  she  considered  that  it  was  one  of  her  most 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

clearly  defined  duties  to  teach  me  the  legends  and  lore 
of  my  country. 

I  owe  it  to  her  that,  from  earliest  childhood,  I  have 
looked  forward  with  a  species  of  awed  delight  to  the 
countless  little  practices  which  make  up  the  bulk  of  a 
true  Breton  New  Year — and  for  the  celebration  of  which 
the  four-leaved  clover,  the  mistletoe,  "the  four  herbs 
of  St.  John,"  and  those  transparent  sea-shells  called 
"angels'  wings,"  are  indispensable. 

Many  years  later,  not  so  very  long  ago,  in  fact,  I 
risked  life  and  limb  to  bow  to  one  of  these  particular 
little  superstitions  which  appealed  especially  to  me, 
for  it  deals  with  flowers,  which  I  have  always  loved 
dearly. 

I  was  then  spending  a  few  weeks  of  the  winter  in 
Brittany,  at  an  old  castle  belonging  to  friends  of  mine. 
And  having  been  reminded  by  a  casual  mention  of  the 
fteurs  de  la  Sainte  Vierge  that  such  a  thing  existed,  I 
made  up  my  mind  to  go  in  quest  of  the  legendary  blos- 
som in  the  most  orthodox  and  approved  fashion — that 
is  to  say,  on  the  first  night  of  the  full  moon  in  the  last 
month  of  the  year.  Telling  no  one  of  my  project,  ex- 
cepting the  men  on  my  yacht,  I  started,  after  a  late  din- 
ner, on  my  long  sail  towards  the  precipitous  shores  of 
the  island  of  Houat,  which  faces  the  wild  bay  of 
Quiberon. 

The  moon  was  shedding  its  brilliant  light  upon  the 
waves,  and  the  capes  of  Quiberon  and  Thuys  showed 
on  either  side  of  us  almost  as  plainly  as  had  rt  been 
broad  daylight.  Directly  ahead  of  us  Houat  formed  a 
dark  bank  of  filmy  smoke-hued  buttresses  on  the  hori- 
zon. As  the  wind  was  in  our  favor,  it  took  us  a  com- 
paratively short  time  to  reach  the  base  of  the  cliffs, 
and  then,  accompanied  by  two  of  my  sailors,  I  went 
ashore  with  less  difficulty  than  I  had  expected.  When 

32 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

we  reached  the  summit  of  the  island,  it  seemed  to  me 
as  if  I  were  standing  at  the  masthead  of  a  ship,  for  the 
place  is  curiously  small  and  the  sea  looks  boundless 
indeed  from  so  great  and  narrow  an  elevation.  I  did 
not  stop  to  admire  the  fantastically  shaped,  silvered 
rocks  that  stretched  at  my  feet,  nor  the  waters  swaying 
all  around  me,  however,  but  began  my  search  immedi- 
ately. I  had  but  scant  success  at  first.  Vexed  and 
discouraged,  I  turned  to  the  older  of  my  two  companions 
and  asked  whether  he  knew  where  the  flower  which 
I  desired  so  greatly  could  possibly  be  found.  Respect- 
fully pulling  his  forelock,  he  replied,  grimly : 

"I  know  the  haunts  of  the  plant,  but  much  has  to 
be  risked  in  order  to  get  it."  Then,  bending  down, 
he  lay  flat  upon  his  stomach  on  the  very  edge  of  the 
cliff,  I  imitating  his  example  with  as  good  a  grace  as 
I  could.  I  must  confess  that  a  slight  shiver  of  some- 
thing very  much  like  awe,  if  not  downright  fear,  ran 
through  me  as  I  looked  down  sixty  yards  beneath  me 
into  the  funnel-shaped  end  of  the  cup-like  crevice  dent- 
ing the  island  from  top  to  bottom.  The  sea  rushed  into 
this  with  every  coming  wave,  so  violently  that  we  could 
actually  feel  the  rocky  walls  trembling.  Now  and  then 
a  column  of  seething,  ferocious-looking  green  water 
rose  into  the  air,  and  the  freshness  and  bitterness  of 
the  spray  beat  upon  our  faces.  The  noise  was  deafen- 
ing, and  the  spectacle  under  such  circumstances  was 
one  that  might  well  inspire  terror  even  in  the  breast  of 
one  born  in  Brittany. 

The  rocky  sides  of  this  peculiar  kind  of  souffleur 
were  worn  by  the  storms  of  centuries  into  a  series  of 
irregular  and  jagged  steps.  On  one  of  these,  some  fifty 
feet  beneath  us,  I  saw,  by  the  now  wellnigh  perpen- 
dicular rays  shed  by  Dame  Luna,  a  patch  of  what  looked 
like  flakes  of  carded  wool.  But  the  old  sailor,  tugging 
c  33 


THE   TRIBULATIONS  OF  A   PRINCESS 

at  my  sleeve,  shrieked  into  my  ear  that  this  patch  was 
composed  of  plant  after  plant  of  the  famous  and  luck- 
bringing  blossoms  I  had  come  so  far  to  fetch. 

"Will  you  come  down  with  me,  Yann?"  I  cried,  in 
almost  as  loud  a  voice  as  his  own,  in  order  to  make  my- 
self heard  above  all  that  raging  turmoil.  He  nodded 
his  assent,  though  the  proposition  did  not  seem  to  en- 
chant him.  As  soon  as  we  rose  to  our  feet  the  wind 
pushed  and  worried  us  so  that,  had  I  not  been  brought 
up  amid  the  dangerous  cliffs  of  Brittany,  and  besides 
by  that  time  a  pretty  fair  all-round  mountaineer,  I 
would  have  given  up  any  idea  of  attempting  to  follow 
Yann  along  such  a  perilous  path.  Even  then  it  was 
only  with  the  utmost  difficulty  that  I  managed  to  crawl 
down  at  a  snail's  pace,  realizing  the  continual  and 
imminent  risk  that  at  any  moment  I  might  be  precipi- 
tated headlong  into  the  frothing  water  below. 

Upon  arriving  at  last  on  the  ledge  where  the  flowerets 
grew,  we  were  both  more  dead  than  alive.  I  snatched 
a  handful  of  the  peculiar  growth — leaves,  buds,  flowers, 
and  all — and  then  turned  to  reascend  the  precipitous 
cliff.  How  we  ever  succeeded  in  reaching  the  top  I 
do  not  know,  but  whenever  I  look  upon  those  faded  blos- 
soms hanging  in  a  little  silver  frame  above  my  bed ,  I 
cannot  help  thinking  that,  after  all,  they  must  have 
been  endowed  with  great  luck-bringing  powers.  For 
how  else  could  we  have  overcome  the  dangers  of  the 
expedition  which  my  reckless  fancy  made  me  undertake 
that  night? 

But  here  let  me  pause  a  minute  to  regain  my  mental 
breath,  which  this  flight  into  the  depths  of  the  past  has 
hastened  and  shaken  almost  as  completely  out  of  me 
as  did  the  violent  breezes  of  the  Isle  of  Houat  on  the 
night  of  my  risky  expedition  to  its  dangerous  cliffs. 
It  is  an  exquisite  torture  to  thus  retrace  one's  steps,  to 

34 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

let  one's  pen  and  one's  mind  run  smoothly  backward, 
as  it  were,  like  a  little  frightened,  green-coated  crab, 
blinded  by  the  incoming  tide,  and  seeking  rest  and 
shelter  from  the  noise  and  danger  which  it  hopes  to  avoid. 
For  years  I  have  tried  to  forget — to  wrap  my  home-sick- 
ened soul  in  oblivion  of  what  once  used  to  be,  yet  do  I 
now,  with  the  celebrated  inconsequence  of  I'Eternel 
Feminin,  ruthlessly  reopen  old  wounds  and  court  burn- 
ing regret. 

"  What  fools  we  mortals  be  1"  This  is  not  a  very  poetical 
citation,  but  it  is  a  true  one,  and  serves  my  purpose  well, 
for  I  am  in  that  mood  just  now  which  makes  one  look 
at  one's  self,  so  to  speak,  from  a  distance,  and  laugh  with 
absolute  sincerity,  but  nevertheless  very  bitterly,  at  one's 
own  folly  for  having  dared  to  attempt  fighting  against 
what  was  ordained.  The  Turks  are  our  masters  in  such 
matters,  as  are  all  Orientals,  for  they  are  such  delight- 
fully convinced  fatalists  that  when  they  have  solemnly 
shrugged  their  shoulders,  and  sagely  decreed  that 
"  What  is  to  be  will  be,"  they  are  content,  and  take  no 
thought  of  the  morrow  in  any  sense  of  the  word. 

I  am  far,  I  see,  from  having  reached  such  a  state  of 
perfection  as  yet,  and  my  disappointment  thereat  is 
great.  I  have  schooled  myself  to  conscientiously  believe 
that  by  now  my  dead  had  buried  their  dead,  and  that 
the  past  had  drifted  away  from  me  like  a  cast-off  gar- 
ment which  fitted  me  no  longer,  but  I  have  lately,  some- 
how or  other,  discovered  the  foolhardiness  and  folly 
of  this  presumption,  and  I  realize,  to  my  deep  mortifica- 
tion, that  true  cynicism  and  I  are  not  always  as  good 
friends  as  I  believed  that  we  had  become. 

It  is  snowing  hard  as  I  sit  writing  by  the  waning 
afternoon  light.  The  sparkling  atoms  are  whirling  in 
through  the  window  which  I  opened  when  I  came  in  a 
while  ago  to  cool  my  throbbing  head  and  my  feverish- 

35 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

ness.  The  little  drifts  which  they  make  upon  the  car- 
pet remind  me  of  similar  occasions  when  I  used  to  let 
Father  Winter  invade  my  quarters,  out  of  sheer  mis- 
chievousness,  in  days  of  long  ago. 

What  jolly,  devil-may-care  times  those  were,  and  how 
long  it  does  seem  since  I  left  many  precious  things  be- 
hind me,  cloaking  my  self-willed  surrender  of  rank  and 
honors  and  of  future  brilliant  certainties  under  the 
mantle  of  a  sort  of  superb  and  haughty  stoicism,  which, 
if  I  am  to  talk  plainly,  was  not  tres  bon  teint  I 

On  his  desert  island  Crusoe  was  a  sage,  although 
before  his  shipwreck  he  had  been  looked  upon  as  by  no 
means  an  extraordinarily  resigned  or  easy-going  spirit. 
My  desert  island — the  one  for  which  I  set  sail — I  have 
never  quite  reached.  And  if  I  had — ah!  well,  what 
matters  it?  what  would  then  have  happened  there  is 
no  use  in  surmising.  The  only  fact  clear  to  me  is  that 
I  am  sometimes  wretchedly  grieved  at  my  incapability 
of  shaping  things  as  they  should  be  shaped,  and  that 
I  fail  only  too  frequently  to  follow  out  the  existence 
which  I  had  planned  for  myself,  and  to  which,  for  the 
matter  of  that,  I  had  thought  that  I  had  become  per- 
fectly reconciled. 

Indeed,  I  am  at  heart  content  to  be  now  one  of  the 
crowd,  a  mere  unit  among  the  masses,  a  plain  cipher, 
working  my  way  along  a  far  more  arduous  road  than 
the  one  upon  which  I  started  out.  I  often  come  well- 
nigh  to  fancying  that  I  have  forgotten  the  past,  and 
if  anybody  addressed  me  suddenly,  as  of  yore,  I  would 
not,  I  feel  certain,  take  the  words  as  being  meant  for 
me. 

Well,  as  we  make  our  bed,  so  we  must  lie.  There  is 
never  any  turning  back  save  in  thought.  I  am  dead 
to  my  world.  The  days  of  palaces  are  dead,  too. 
But  what  of  that?  At  heart — I  repeat  it — I  am  really 

36 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A  PRINCESS 

content,  perchance  far  more  so  than  I  know  myself. 
And,  thanks  to  the  mischievous  spirit  which  is  forever 
within  me,  a  rush  of  unholy  joy  sometimes  floods  my 
heart  and  stings  me  like  a  million  needles  at  the  thought 
of  how  amazed  those  who  are  my  friends  and  know 
me  now  would  be  if  they  knew ;  and  what  would  be  the 
surprise  of  those  who  knew  me  then  could  they  see  the 
present  as  it  is!  But  imagination — la  folle  du  logis, 
as  they  call  it  in  France — is  a  curse,  so  let  me  close  this 
lengthy  and  rather  purposeless  parenthesis  and  re- 
turn to  my  Breton  New  Year,  car  nous  en  sommes  loin. 
I  fear  that  I  am  telling  my  story  too  much  a  batons  rom- 
pus,  and  with  not  a  vestige  of  that  solemn  and  admi- 
rably dignified  method  so  dear  to  celebrated  writers  and 
to  Academicians. 

What  a  delightful  New  Year  that  last  one  was  ! — I 
mean  the  last  before  my  child-heart  received  its  deepest 
and  worst  wound,  so  far. 

During  the  whole  month  of  December  our  rugged 
coast  had  been  swept  by  storms  of  such  unusual  violence 
that  I  was  forced,  much  against  my  will,  to  spend  many 
hours  within  the  castle  walls.  At  five  o'clock  on  New 
Year's  Day  I  was  standing  at  the  end  of  the  upper  hall, 
looking  out  at  the  sea  and  the  sky,  when  my  father's 
steward  happened  to  pass  by.  He  stopped  for  a  mo- 
ment, and,  patting  my  head  gently,  said,  kindly : 

"Well,  how  do  you  do,  my  little  dear?" 

He  was  an  old  retainer  of  our  family,  which  he  con- 
sidered to  be  immeasurably  above  all  others  through- 
out the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land.  He  was,  besides 
this,  a  wise  and  sagacious  fellow,  well  informed  as  to 
his  duties,  fairly  educated,  and,  what  is  better,  a  true 
and  loyal  Breton. 

"I  am  very  well,  thank  you,  Kerradec,"  I  replied; 
"but  just  look  what  a  funny  sky  this  is." 

37 


THE   TRIBULATIONS  OF  A   PRINCESS 

He  glanced  at  the  stormy,  cloud-laden  heavens,  and, 
screwing  up  his  white  eyebrows,  remarked:  "So  it  is, 
so  it  is.  I  wouldn't  be  at  sea  to-night  for  a  good  deal. 
There  is  ugly  weather  coming,  as  sure  as  my  name  is 
Yvon  Kerradec." 

Truly  the  spectacle  presented  by  the  sunset  sky  must 
have  been  a  remarkable  one,  for  I  remember  it  as  clearly 
to-day  as  if  it  were  still  before  me.  A  murky  confusion 
of  wind-torn  clouds  was  rising  from  the  west,  clouds 
that  had  the  color  of  dark  copper,  with  black,  metallic 
ridges  like  a  crow's  wing.  The  sun  was  sinking  rapidly 
towards  the  horizon  amid  a  heaped-up  mass  of  blood- 
red  vapors,  tinged  here  and  there  with  green  blotches. 
The  wind,  which  had  been  high  all  day,  was  now  rising 
to  a  gale  with  an  alarming  shriek  and  beating  the  waters 
into  froth.  Even  while  we  stood  there  watching  the 
waves,  they  began  to  rise  in  that  utterly  confounding 
fashion  that  is  so  characteristic  of  our  dangerous  coast. 
They  rolled  in  like  high  watery  walls,  crashing  against 
the  rocks  on  which  the  castle  stands,  with  hungry,  piti- 
less energy.  Kerradec  hurried  towards  my  father's 
suite  of  rooms,  and,  lifting  the  heavy  portiere,  called 
out  to  him  that  there  was  a  blow  coming  on  which  would 
mean  disaster  to  any  ship  running  along  the  coast, 
and  asking  what  the  orders  were  for  the  coast-guards- 
men with  regard  to  signalling  to  the  life-saving  station 
two  miles  away.  Instead  of  answering,  my  father, 
who  was  slipping  on  his  dress  coat,  turned  to  his  valet, 
an  old  soldier  who  had  served  under  his  orders  when  he 
was  in  the  army,  and  bade  him  bring  another  suit  of 
clothes  and  his  oil-skin  coat  and  sou'wester. 

"  Run  to  mamma,  Pierrot,  and  tell  her  that  I  may  be 
late  for  dinner.  I  am  going  down  to  the  beach,"  he 
said,  quietly. 

I  obeyed  instantly.  But  as  soon  as  I  had  delivered 

38 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

the  message  I  flew  to  my  room,  donned  my  own  little 
storm-suit  of  oil-clothes  with  feverish  rapidity,  and 
then  bounded  down-stairs  just  as  my  father  was  emerg- 
ing from  his  room. 

"  What,  you  rogue !  You  imagine  that  you  can  come 
with  me  in  such  weather?"  he  exclaimed;  but  I  easily 
perceived  that  his  indignation  was  only  assumed,  and 
that  he  liked  to  see  me  anxious  to  be  always  at  the  front. 
So  I  replied,  demurely : 

" Please  take  me  along,  dear  papa!  I  hate  to  remain 
here  without  you,  especially  as  it  is  New  Year's  Day!" 

I  am  afraid  that  I  was  a  very  old-fashioned  child 
in  more  than  one  respect.  Which  is  perhaps  explain- 
able by  the  fact  that  I  never  played  with  children  of  my 
own  age,  but  was  either  alone  in  the  home  park  or  in 
the  company  of  grown-up  people,  whose  language  and 
phraseology  I  recklessly,  and  sometimes,  no  doubt, 
very  amusingly,  borrowed. 

Clinging  to  my  father's  hand,  I  descended  the  nar- 
row, spiral  stone  stairs  which  led  directly  from  his  study 
to  the  cour  d'honneur,  and  then,  to  my  huge  delight  at 
first,  the  wind  began  to  buffet  us.  Its  deep,  sinister 
voice  moaned  all  around.  The  clouds,  blacker  than 
ever,  were  blown  about  in  a  way  that  was  bewildering. 
The  hollow,  hoarse  voice  of  the  tempest  swelled  to  posi- 
tive fury,  and  as  we  reached  the  bottom  of  our  rocky 
fastness  the  spume  torn  from  the  white  crests  of  the 
inrushing  breakers  nearly  blinded  us.  My  enthusiasm 
was  oozing  out  of  me,  for  streaks  of  cold  rain  were  com- 
mencing to  pelt  us  like  sharp  lances  and,  under  the 
pressure  of  the  wind,  my  breath  almost  failed  me.  But 
I  would  not  for  the  world  have  confessed  that  I  had 
been  rash  in  insisting  upon  coming,  and  so  I  set  my 
lips  firmly  together  and  said  not  a  word,  holding  des- 
perately to  the  strong  hands  of  my  two  companions. 

39 


THE  TRIBULATIONS    OF   A   PRINCESS 

The  dreadful  turmoil  increased  with  every  passing 
minute.  There  were  moments  when  the  wind  whistled 
sourly  and  stridently,  as  if  it  were  in  a  paroxysm  of 
anger,  and  then,  grave,  cavernous,  and  powerful,  it 
sounded  like  the  weird  harmony  of  some  immense  cat- 
aclysm. 

A  sinister  gloaming  that! — showing  the  gigantic 
waves  hurling  themselves  over  each  other,  with  a 
curtain  of  grim  mists  for  a  background. 

We  were  almost  abreast  of  the  little  life-saving  station 
now,  and,  with  a  sort  of  hopeful  yearning  in  my  heart,  I 
gazed  upward  at  the  jutting  point  of  rock  where  the 
semaphore  (marine  signal-house)  profiled  its  gibbet- 
like  arms  against  the  lowering  sky.  My  father  hailed 
the  men  on  guard  several  times,  but  the  snarl  of  the 
hurricane  was  so  great  that  his  voice  seemed  to  have 
lost  all  sound.  Finally,  with  a  quick  gesture,  he  picked 
me  up,  and  began  to  climb  the  slippery  steps  leading 
to  the  platform  half-way  up  the  cliff,  where  the  guerite 
of  the  douaniers  clung  to  the  granite  wall. 

"  Donnez  la  moi  done,  je  la  porter ai  bien !"  shouted 
Kerradec,  holding  out  his  hands  to  take  me  from  the 
comforting  shelter  of  my  father's  arms.  But  unheed- 
ing this  offer  he  hurried  on,  as  if  the  nearly  insur- 
mountable difficulties  of  the  ascent,  in  the  gathering 
gloom  which  enveloped  us  as  a  shroud,  and  in  the  teeth 
of  a  storm  such  as  is  seldom  seen  even  in  Brittany, 
were  a  mere  joke. 

I  hardly  heard  the  orders  he  gave  to  insure  the  prompt 
rescue  of  any  vessel  unfortunate  enough  to  be  skirting 
our  coast  that  night,  for  I  was  drowsily  leaning  against 
his  shoulder,  covered  by  the  folds  of  his  great-coat. 

When  we  reached  the  sands  once  more  we  found  that 
a  few  men,  old  sailors  all  of  them,  had  gathered  there 
and  were  looking  at  the  grand  and  awful  spectacle 

40 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

with  that  stolid  watchfulness  which  denotes  the  mariner 
all  the  world  over. 

They  uncovered  their  heads  as  my  father  approached, 
and  fell  back  a  little,  watching  his  tall  figure  with 
affectionate  pride.  For  they  knew  his  undaunted 
courage,  and  his  mere  presence  there  was  reassuring 
to  these  men,  who  thought  of  their  boys  far  out  at  sea, 
now,  as  on  every  night  in  the  year,  drifting  helplessly 
at  the  mercy  of  the  elements. 

The  angry  roar  of  the  ocean  was  the  Dies  Irae  these 
mariners  had  listened  to  from  their  boyhood,  and  the 
solemnity  thereof  lent  to  their  natures  much  of  the 
depth  and  melancholy  to  which  I  have  already  alluded. 
Thus  had  they  no  actual  fear,  for  in  the  integrity  of 
their  faith  they  felt  that  the  murderous  waves  were 
ruled  by  the  will  of  Almighty  God.  But  their  hearts 
were  filled  with  the  solemn  awe  and  dread  of  such  a 
situation. 

Ah,  no!  the  Breton  fisherman,  whose  time  is  em- 
ployed, whose  bread  is  earned,  by  old  Father  Ocean,  is 
never  smitten  with  a  craven's  fear.  But  he  is  aware  of 
the  boundless  power  to  sustain  or  to  take  life  which  be- 
longs to  such  forces,  and  realizes  the  dangers  by  which 
he  is  always  surrounded.  "II  faut  bien  toujours  en 
finir  un  jour  ou  I'autre,"  as  a  bereaved  grandfather 
once  said  to  me,  after  hearing  of  the  loss  at  sea  of  the 
last  grandson  and  sole  bread-winner  left  him.  Tears 
were  weakly  coursing  down  his  weather-beaten  cheeks, 
but  a  resignation  of  the  finest  and  bravest  kind  kept  his 
old  lips  from  trembling.  Men  must  die,  and  it  does  not 
matter  so  much,  after  all,  how  they  do  die — epidemics, 
wars,  accidents,  ah!  even  broken  hearts — all  carry 
out  the  laws  of  nature  in  that  respect.  And  in  the  end 
what  will  it  signify  whether  a  thousand  poor  souls  more 
or  less  take  their  flight  towards  heaven  on  a  night  like 

41 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

the  one  I  am  now  speaking  of,  when  the  roaring  sea 
gathers  in  its  quarry? 

The  lightning  flashed  now  again  along  the  dense 
vault  above  us,  where  the  clouds  were  riven  by  sudden 
sheets  of  lurid  flame,  and  I  slid  from  my  father's  grasp 
and  clapped  my  hands,  in  my  ignorant,  childish  glee. 
Alas!  my  joy  was  soon  quenched.  For  the  intense 
glare  showed  us  two  fishing-smacks  standing  out 
against  its  hellish  glow,  as  they  labored  among  the 
murderous  rollers. 

My  father  glanced  over  the  distance  between  the  boats 
and  the  beach,  with  grave  care  depicted  on  his  hand- 
some face.  Then,  lifting  a  whistle  to  his  lips,  he  gave 
a  well-known  call,  that  pierced  even  that  deafening 
clamor. 

The  two  apparently  doomed  boats  were  exactly  op- 
posite to  us,  and  if  they  were  once  caught  by  the  current 
that  runs  at  mill-race  speed  between  the  horn-shaped 
ramparts  of  the  inner  bay,  they  would  be  drawn  un- 
doubtedly into  the  breakers.  Even  I  could  see  that! 
Would  the  life-boat  come  in  time?  That  was  the  un- 
spoken question  depicted  in  every  eye  witnessing  the 
coming  horror. 

Determinedly  my  father  turned  to  the  men,  who,  in 
their  eagerness,  now  stood  shoulder  to  shoulder  with 
him. 

"Get  me  a  strong  rope,  quickly!" 

Strangely  enough  I  understood,  and  a  new  terror 
swept  over  me.  To  interfere  or  to  implore  never  oc- 
curred to  my  mind,  but  I  took  his  hand  and  kissed  it 
passionately,  clinging  to  him  with  a  despairing  strength 
that  caused  him  to  recollect  my  presence,  and  made  him 
perhaps  realize  what  his  heroic  endeavors  for  the  sake 
of  others  would  mean  to  his  own  little  child  should  he 
perish. 

42 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

Stooping  down,  he  lifted  me  in  his  arms,  and,  whisper- 
ing hastily  in  my  ear  a  few  words  of  comfort  and  of 
encouragement,  he  handed  me  to  Kerradec,  who  was  in 
vain  expostulating  with  him.  Trying  the  strength  of 
a  great  coil  of  rope  that  had  been  brought,  he  began  to 
throw  off  his  heavy  coat.  When  the  lightning  shone 
out  again,  one  of  the  boats  had  disappeared,  while  the 
other  could  yet  be  plainly  seen  in  that  spectre  light,  as 
it  flew  on  the  top  of  a  monstrous  wave  straight  to  its 
destruction. 

"The  life -boat  is  coming,"  yelled  Jinks,  who  had 
joined  us  without  my  noticing  it.  "  Wait,  my  lord,  for 
nothing  will  live  through  this  'ere  storm.  For  Gawd's 
sake,  don't  you  go  a-drowning  of  yourself,  my  lord!" 

"Hush,  Jinks!  What  words  for  Pierrot  to  hear!"  he 
answered.  "  The  life-boat  will  be  too  late ;  come,  help 
me  there!" 

Jinks  was  silenced  and  seemingly  abashed.  With 
his  own  trembling  hands  he  knotted  the  rope  about 
his  master's  waist.  A  glance  across  the  boiling  sea 
showed  all  present  that  the  urgency  was  great  indeed, 
for  the  little  brown-sailed,  dismantled  craft  was  heading 
with  hideous  and  relentless  rapidity  towards  the  fore- 
most scrap  of  the  chain  of  rocks 

A  new  sight  to  me,  and  one  which  I  will  never  forget, 
was  the  iron  resolve  in  the  face  which  I  loved  best  of  all. 
It  was  that  of  a  calm  and  resolute  man,  one  accustomed 
to  leadership  and  to  the  absolute  responsibility  of  his 
actions.  I  seemed  to  feel  that  if  I  cried  out  or  attracted 
his  attention  towards  myself  I  would  only  be  hindering 
the  precautions  which  were  being  taken  for  his  safety, 
so  I  clung  tightly  to  Kerradec's  bull-like  neck  and  kept 
my  eyes  fixed  on  the  superb  figure,  standing  alone  in 
front  of  the  little  crowd,  with  a  rope  round  his  body 
and  another  in  his  firm,  strong  hand. 

43 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A  PRINCESS 

There  came  a  great  thundering  wave,  and  at  the 
precise  moment  when  it  retired  I  saw  my  father  dash  in 
after  it  and  disappear  between  the  folds  of  black  water, 
as  if  they  were  to  hold  him  forever. 

Another  flash  of  lightning,  and  I  saw  his  head  above 
the  livid  foam. 

"  There  he  is,  Kerradec.  Oh !  haul  him  in ;  don't  let 
him  go  any  farther!"  I  fairly  yelled,  unconsciously  dig- 
ging my  nails  in  my  helpless  bearer's  flesh. 

"Quiet,  my  little  one,  quiet!  He  knows  what  he  is 
about,  and  the  saints  will  protect  him  1  Be  quiet,  I 
say!" 

I  was  quiet  enough  after  this  admonition ;  my  heart 
beat  to  suffocation,  but  all  my  powers  seemed  to  have 
passed  into  my  straining  eyes.  Instinct  told  me  that 
death  was  hovering  over  him,  that  the  boldest  daring 
was  as  a  wisp  of  straw  against  the  might  of  that  in- 
furiated mass  of  water.  I  bit  my  little  clinched  fist  in 
my  agony  to  repress  the  sobs  that  filled  my  heaving 
chest.  I  doubt  whether  I  fathomed  the  boundlessness 
of  my  apprehension  or  the  immensity  of  my  enthusiasm ; 
for,  in  spite  of  all,  the  feeling  that  I  was  witnessing 
the  most  magnificent  thing  on  earth — an  exhibition  of 
flawless  courage,  a  total  abnegation  of  self  in  the  cause 
of  humanity,  welled  up  in  my  heart.  A  few  days  be- 
fore, my  Abbe"  had  given  me  a  fine  old  engraving  rep- 
resenting the  gladiators  before  Caesar,  and  I  suddenly  re- 
membered the  Latin  inscription,  "  Morituri  te  salutant. " 
Was  it  not  a  fitting  greeting  for  those  doomed  men  on 
the  wreck  to  give  to  their  would-be  rescuer?  This 
thought  may  seem  ridiculous,  bred  as  it  was  from  a  small 
child's  terrified  fancy,  but  nevertheless,  to  this  day, 
whenever  I  come  across  that  short  sentence  in  print,  it 
carries  me  back  with  painful  swiftness  to  that  awful 
night  on  the  Brittany  coast  when  the  first  dawning 

44 


gj 

•   \&?Y-  ':1i-*'~B?l> 

-*-**.*1" 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OP  A   PRINCESS 

of  what  life  would  be  to  me  without  my  father  filled 
me  with  despair. 

Another  and  yet  another  sheet  of  lurid,  ghastly  light- 
ning showed  us  the  bold  swimmer  amid  the  churning 
waters  steadily  nearing  the  shattered  bark.  Then  the 
unnatural  glow  died  out,  and  impenetrable  darkness 
lay  over  the  bay.  What  happened  during  these  inde- 
scribable moments  of  suspense  I  only  heard  later,  for  the 
limit  of  my  childish  emotions  had  been  reached,  and  I 
realized  nothing  clearly  again  until  I  found  myself 
kneeling  beside  him,  where  they  had  drawn  him  up 
on  the  wet  sand,  clinging  passionately  to  his  prostrate 
form,  and  listening,  as  in  a  dream,  to  the  shouts  of  those 
about  us  who  were  proclaiming  in  wellnigh  delirious 
tones  that  he  had  saved  six  lives. 

"But  he  is  dead!  He  is  dead!"  I  cried,  hoarsely. 
"  Saints  anges  du  Paradis,  rendez  le  moi." 

His  eyes  unclosed,  faintly  he  drew  me  towards  him, 
and  as  he  did  so  he  murmured : 

"  C'est  fini;  ne  pleure  pas,  mon  petit  enfant." 


It  is  the  privilege  of  dramatists  and  of  novelists  to 
shift  their  scenery  with  bewildering  swiftness  in  order 
to  suit  their  purpose.  This  is  natural,  since  they  wish 
to  extort  as  much  artificial  emotion  as  possible  from 
an  ever-ready  and  sensation-loving  public.  The  tan- 
talizing asterisks  which  often  divide  interesting  chap- 
ters, like  neat  but  painful  sword-cuts,  have  been  in- 
vented by  litterateurs  for  no  other  purpose  than  to  ease 
up  situations  which  have  reached  a  towering  climax, 
and  to  precipitate  the  earnest  readers  from  a  nerve- 
shaking  situation  into  some  sunlit,  summer  valley, 
where  the  rustle  of  foliage,  stirred  by  fragrant  breezes, 
the  splashing  of  oars  on  the  surface  of  azure  lakes  or 

45 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A  PRINCESS 

rivers,  is  conjured  up  by  the  cunning  of  the  writer,  with 
the  eminently  praiseworthy  object  of  soothing  their  deep- 
ly stirred  and  painfully  excited  imaginations. 

I  am,  alas!  not  a  novelist,  far  less  a  dramatist,  and 
I  cannot  presume,  therefore,  to  tamper  greatly  with 
the  tricks  of  the  trade,  useful  as  they  might  prove  to  be 
to  a  humble  chronicler  of  real  life  like  myself.  It  is  un- 
fortunate, because  the  incidents  of  real  life  are  so  tame 
when  compared  with  those  of  fiction  that  a  ray  or  two  of 
limelight,  judiciously  applied,  as  is  done  on  the  stage 
aux  grands  moments,  would  serve  my  turn  admirably 
now.  As  it  is,  I  can  only  utter  a  befitting  mea  culpa, 
and  deplore  my  sad  lack  of  ability,  before  proceeding 
with  my  unambitious  recital  of  every-day  events. 

There  was  a  suggestion  of  divine  forgiveness  in  the 
air  as  we  returned  to  the  castle.  The  waves  were 
tossed  more  gently  upon  the  beach  by  the  gradually 
relenting  wind,  and  the  sea-mews,  whose  peaceful 
slumbers  had  been  disturbed  by  nature's  ferocious 
orchestra,  circled  above  our  heads  with  much  flutter- 
ing of  their  broad  pinions.  I  was  too  tired  and  also 
too  young  to  realize  the  pathos  of  this  return  to  joy 
and  calm,  while  so  close  to  us  in  the  depths  of  the 
cruel  ocean  the  stiffening  limbs  and  cadaverous  faces 
of  the  drowned  were  settling  to  their  eternal  sleep.  In 
spite  of  my  high-strung  nature,  I  was  nearly  asleep 
when  I  was  borne  into  the  hall  that  to  my  blinking 
eyes  seemed  a  fairy  palace  worthy  of  any  of  my 
favorite  heroes. 

My  mother's  low,  high-bred  voice  woke  me  from  my 
torpor.  She  was  remonstrating  with  my  father,  and 
so  absolutely  unbearable  and  cruel  did  her  reproaches 
seem  to  me  that  I  jumped  from  the  fur-covered  lounge 
near  the  fire  where  I  had  been  put,  and  confronted  her. 

"I  won't  have  it!"  I  cried,  excitedly.  "Oh,  mother! 

46 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

mother!  How  can  you  speak  of  yourself  after  what 
he  has  done  to-night!  How  can  you  think  of  your 
anxiety  and  your  pain  when  he  is  here  all  drenched  and 
cold  and  worn-out,  and  when  he  has  saved  six  lives 
from  that  black  death  out  there !  You  are  cruel,  cruel ! 
like  a  beautiful,  bad  fairy!"  I  concluded,  in  a  passion 
of  uncontrollable  tears. 

My  haughty  lady  mother  gazed  at  me  in  amaze- 
ment, with  the  contempt  which  this  outburst  surely 
deserved. 

"Recollect  yourself!"  she  said,  sternly.  "Whom  do 
you  think  you  are  talking  to?"  And  then,  turning 
towards  my  father,  who  was  about  to  draw  my  shiver- 
ing little  figure  to  the  shelter  of  his  arms,  she  contin- 
ued, in  her  own  cold,  disdainful  way : 

"Your  system  of  education  is  not  successful.  The 
child  is  becoming  unmanageable." 

"Hush,  Vera!"  he  murmured,  softly.  "Pierrot  will 
beg  your  pardon  later.  Now  we  are  both  unfit  for  fur- 
ther parlance,  and  must  beg  you  to  excuse  us."  And 
suiting  the  action  to  the  words,  he  lifted  me  from  where 
I  crouched  at  his  feet,  and  carried  me  up  the  broad 
stairs  to  his  rooms,  while  she  stood  as  one  transfixed 
watching  us,  her  shining  silken  draperies  and  the 
frosty  fires  of  her  magnificent  jewels  clothing  her  in  a 
glitter  like  that  of  an  angry  moonbeam. 

That  night,  when  the  much -delayed  ceremonious 
New  Year's  dinner  was  ended,  I  was  brought  down  as 
usual  to  the  banqueting-hall.  All  my  fatigue  and  my 
sorrow  had  gone,  and  nothing  but  the  intense  pride 
of  being  the  daughter  of  such  a  father  as  mine  re- 
mained. How  noble  he  looked,  with  his  face  still  white 
and  drawn,  and  with  the  dark,  hollow  circles  under  his 
eyes  painted  there  by  his  recent  struggle  with  death ! 

The  country  magnates  who  sat  at  his  hospitable 

47 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

board  looked  up  at  him  with  positive  reverence,  it 
seemed  to  me,  and  drank  his  health  again  and  again, 
while  outside  the  dull  sound  of  the  passing-bell  which 
was  being  tolled  for  those  p£ri  &  la  mer  mingled  with 
the  booming  of  the  sea. 

My  mother,  as  radiant  as  ever,  ignored  me  entirely. 
I  knew  that  I  had  offended  her  as  I  never  had  before, 
and  that  the  perfunctory  forgiveness  granted  me  at 
the  urgent  request  of  my  father  counted  for  nothing. 
I  must  make  this  confession  complete,  moreover,  by 
adding  that  I  was  by  no  means  in  a  contrite  frame  of 
mind.  The  events  of  that  afternoon  had  awakened  me 
from  the  white,  dreamy  sleep  of  infancy ;  and,  sitting 
in  angry  and  silent  judgment  on  my  mother,  I  unhesi- 
tatingly condemned  her.  May  Almighty  God  forgive 
me  for  itl  So  deep  was  my  resentment  that  I  felt  as 
if  every  vestige  of  filial  affection  for  her  was  gone  from 
my  heart  forever.  Had  she  not  blamed  my  father  for 
proving  himself  a  hero  once  more? 

At  midnight,  when  I  knelt  before  my  little  wooden 
image  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  I  deliberately  omitted  my 
mother's  name  from  my  prayers,  and  went  to  bed  with 
a  guilty  conscience  and  a  heavy  heart. 


CHAPTER  HI 

"  The  coldness  from  my  heart  is  gone 

But  still  the  weight  is  there, 
And  thoughts  which  I  abhor  will  come 
To  tempt  me  to  despair!" 

THE  salt  breeze  was  blowing  violently  in  my  face 
and  flapping  the  hood  of  my  little  mackintosh  over  my 
head  as  I  walked  rapidly  along  the  narrow  path  crossing 
the  dunes.  I  was  in  a  fearful  temper,  angry  with  my- 
self and  all  the  world  besides,  and  smarting  under  a 
sense  of  injustice  which  made  me  set  my  teeth  hard 
and  stamp  my  foot  occasionally  as  I  flew  onward  follow- 
ed by  a  breathless  groom  who  did  his  best  to  follow  me. 

The  weather  was  in  absolute  keeping  with  my  mood, 
for  a  storm  amounting  almost  to  a  hurricane  had  been 
raging  throughout  the  night,  and  even  now  in  the  late 
afternoon  the  leaden-hued  sky  hung  above  the  tossing 
waves  of  the  bay  like  a  pall  and  threw  a  ghastly  green- 
ish light  upon  the  beach  strewn  with  torn- up  sea- weed 
and  tossed-up  bowlders. 

Worse  and  worse  grew  the  weather.  Huge  black 
clouds  seemed  to  close  around  me,  and  the  wind  bullied 
me  so  furiously  that  the  much-alarmed  groom  was  forced 
to  hold  me  with  both  hands  to  prevent  my  being'carried 
away  by  the  overwhelming  gusts.  On,  on,  I  sped,  gasp- 
ing for  breath  as  fatigue  began  to  give  place  to  excite- 
ment, but  fortunately  the  turreted  roofs  of  the  Chateau 
de  la  Fee,  as  my  grandmother's  residence  was  called, 
began  to  appear,  dimly  silhouetted  against  the  angry 
sky,  and  in  a  few  moments  we  came  to  a  mullioned  side 
D  49 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

entrance,  overhung  with  ivy  and  drooping  creepers.  I 
rang  the  bell  with  a  violence  that  awoke  echoes  through- 
out the  building.  An  old  man-servant  opened  the 
door  immediately,  and  stood  bowing  low,  but  with  an 
expression  in  his  honest  blue  eyes  which  brought  me 
partly  to  my  senses,  and  made  me  realize  what  my  dis- 
hevelled appearance  might  be  after  my  fight  with  the 
weather.  Fortunately  I  cared  little  for  what  old  Jean 
thought  of  me,  one  way  or  the  other.  He  had  known 
me  since  I  was  born,  and  was,  besides  this,  one  of  the 
last  specimens  of  a  long-departed  class — a  devoted,  re- 
spectful family  retainer,  who  would  never  have  per- 
mitted himself  to  judge  les  mcdtres,  however  extrav- 
agantly they  might  act.  Telling  him  that  I  must 
see  my  grandmother  at  once,  I  ran  up  the  stone  stair- 
case, where  huge  tapestries  and  inlaid  sets  of  armor 
added  to  the  medieval  aspect  of  the  place,  and  rushed 
into  the  apartment,  half  boudoir,  half  library,  where  I 
was  certain  to  find  my  father's  venerable  mother. 

The  sight  which  met  my  eyes  as  I  entered  was 
of  a  nature  to  restore  calm  to  the  most  rebellious 
spirit,  and  it  acted  upon  me  like  a  shower  of  cold 
water,  making  me  instantly  more  rational  in  mind 
as  well  as  in  behavior.  The  room,  which  for  many 
years  to  come  was  to  be  my  one  harbor  of  peace  and 
rest,  was  large,  and  furnished  in  exquisite  taste,  though 
with  a  tendency  towards  the  fashions  of  two  hundred 
years  ago.  The  Italian  cabinets  and  tables  were  pon- 
derous and  massive.  The  hangings  were  sombre, 
and  the  walls  were  hung  with  many  celebrated  paint- 
ings and  family  portraits.  Comfort  of  a  more  modern 
kind  was  not  by  any  means  excluded,  however,  and 
the  whole  aspect  of  this  delightfully  romantic  chamber 
was  brightened  by  quantities  of  flowering  plants  and 
palms  that  stood  in  heavy  inlaid  jardinieres.  Clusters 

50 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

of  Bengal  roses  and  heather,  set  in  shallow  bowls  of 
ancient  pottery,  nearly  always  filled  the  air  with  their 
clean,  faint  perfume,  and  the  tastes  of  the  mistress  of 
all  these  treasures  were  divulged  by  a  grand  piano,  a 
harmonium,  a  spinet  with  a  beautifully  painted  lid, 
an  easel  set  by  one  of  the  windows,  and  a  litter  of  books 
and  music.  There,  too,  near  the  monumental  hearth 
of  carved  green  marble,  stood  an  embroidery  frame, 
indicating  that  she  was  not  an  idler,  but  a  woman  who, 
in  spite  of  her  years,  found  pleasure  in  a  well-occupied, 
busy  life. 

As  I  came  in,  she  rose  from  a  low  chair  which  she  had 
been  occupying,  while  gazing  at  the  vast  panorama 
of  land  and  sea  stretching  before  the  balcony  windows 
at  the  other  end  of  the  room,  and  came  towards  me  with 
outstretched  arms.  At  nearly  eighty,  my  grandmother 
was  one  of  the  prettiest  old  women  I  have  ever  known ; 
she  looked  like  a  fairy  godmother,  and  it  is  scarcely  a 
wonder  that  the  simple  peasant  folks  should  have  called 
her  lovely  home  le  Chateau  de  la  Fee. 

Her  hair  was  like  spun  silk,  in  its  soft  and  silvery 
whiteness.  Her  pink-and-white  complexion  and  her 
large,  black-fringed,  dark-blue  eyes  had  retained  all 
the  dewy  eclat  of  youth.  Her  figure  was  still  straight 
and  slender,  while  her  tiny  hands  and  feet  were  shaped 
like  those  of  a  Greek  statue.  Clothed  in  sweeping  ivory- 
tinted  laces,  with  a  great  Byzantine  cross  of  emeralds, 
sapphires,  and  onyx  hanging  at  her  throat,  amid  her 
far-famed  pearls — pearls  which  she  wore  day  and  night, 
according  to  a  superstitious  belief  in  their  luck-bring- 
ing influence — she  seemed  to  me  at  this  moment  es- 
pecially the  very  embodiment  of  all  that  was  sweet  and 
dainty,  delightful  and  comforting,  and  I  felt  suddenly 
ashamed  of  my  tumbled  locks  and  flushed  face. 

"What  on  earth  is  the  matter,  my  dearest  child?" 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

she  said,  gently,  as  with  a  gasping,  exhausted  sob  I 
threw  myself  down  before  her  on  a  cushion  and  buried 
my  face  in  her  lap. 

"Everything  is  the  matter,"  I  gasped,  clutching  her 
dress,  as  a  thoroughly  frightened  child  is  apt  to  do 
when  in  great  distress  of  mind.  "I — well,  I  wish  I 
were  dead!"  With  which  last  words  I  burst  into  a  veri- 
table agony  of  pent-up  tears. 

For  a  moment  my  grandmother  said  nothing.  She 
quietly  removed  my  bedraggled  coat,  smoothed  my  short, 
rebellious  locks,  and  contented  herself  with  some  mute 
caresses,  until  the  first  paroxysm  of  my  grief  had  spent 
itself.  Then  she  drew  me  towards  the  bright  fire  of 
blazing  logs,  and  in  her  calm,  even,  musical  voice  asked, 
softly : 

"This  is  not  at  all  like  you,  Pierrot.  What  has 
caused  you  to  lose  your  self-control  so  completely,  my 
dear?" 

"  Oh  I"  I  exclaimed,  wrathfully,  "  you  are  right,  grand- 
mere.  I  know  that  I  am  unmanly  and  stupid,  but  I 
hate  injustice,  and  when  papa  is  not  there  I  get  noth- 
ing else — and — oh!  it  drives  me  wild!" 

"Hush!  Hush!"  murmured  the  kind  voice  of  my 
lovely  granny;  "do  not  speak  like  that.  You  are  not 
yourself  just  now,  my  poor  little  one.  You  must  have 
something  to  eat  and  a  short  rest,  and  then  I  will  talk 
this  matter  over  with  you." 

I  gazed  at  her  in  surprise.  What  could  she  say  that 
would  have  any  influence  upon  a  subject  so  excessively 
painful  to  me?  But  still  there  was  something  so  sym- 
pathetic and  persuasive  in  her  tone  that  I  suffered  her 
to  take  me  to  her  dressing-room,  where  the  disorder  of 
my  costume  was  quickly  repaired,  before  I  went  down- 
stairs to  have  tea  with  her.  At  first  I  could  not  swallow 
a  mouthful.  But  gradually  the  warmth  and  cosiness 

52 


THE   TRIBULATIONS  OF  A  PRINCESS 

of  my  surroundings,  the  charmingly  appointed  little 
table,  with  its  dainty  china,  brilliant  silver,  flowers, 
fruit,  and  cake,  and,  more  than  all,  the  loving  care  be- 
stowed upon  me,  acted  like  a  balm,  and  when  we  had 
finished  our  gouter  I  felt  very  much  better.  Then, 
drawing  me  down  beside  her  in  the  depths  of  her  capa- 
cious bergere,  she  gazed  at  me  with  a  thoughtful  ex- 
pression, which  I  had  often  seen  on  her  delicate  features, 
but  which  to-night  was  tinged  with  a  deep  sadness  that 
I  had  never  noticed  before. 

Suddenly  she  bent  forward  and,  crossing  her  white, 
slim  hands,  said,  in  a  low,  tender  voice : 

"  My  poor  little  Pierrot !  You  are  too  young  to  under- 
stand most  things  yet.  But  you  are  an  unusually 
bright  and  clever  child,  and  I  am  going  to  try  the  ex- 
periment of  talking  to  you  as  if  you  were  what  you  so 
picturesquely  call  a  '  grown-up. ' ' 

The  big  room  was  perfectly  still.  Alone  the  ticking 
of  the  huge  Louis  XIV.  clock  could  be  heard  during 
the  ensuing  pause,  for  the  storm  had  ceased  and  the 
red  rays  of  the  setting  sun  were  breaking  out  between 
banks  of  gold-lined  clouds,  sending  a  ruddy  glow  in 
through  the  tall  oriel  windows.  Granny  sat  in  deep 
thought  for  a  moment,  as  if  she  had  momentarily  for- 
gotten my  presence,  her  still  so  remarkably  youthful 
eyes  looking  full  into  the  rosy  sunset,  and  I  sat  under  a 
kind  of  strange  spell,  watching  the  gems  sparkle  on 
her  fingers  and  the  gleam  of  the  pearls  about  her  neck. 
My  grievances  came  back  to  me  as  I  did  so  with  re- 
doubled vigor,  although  I  felt  sorry  to  have  brought  so 
much  perturbation  into  the  crystal-like  purity  and  ex- 
quisite refinement  of  the  atmosphere  which  invariably 
surrounded  my  grandmother.  Perchance  she  was 
right  to  say  that  I  was  too  young  to  understand  many 
things,  but  I  am  sure  that  I  felt  some  of  them  acutely. 

53 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

The  cause  of  my  present  troubles  was  an  innocent  one 
enough,  and  one  which  I  loved,  for  the  beginning  of  this 
period  of  revolt  and  dissatisfaction  had  been  brought 
about  in  the  following  fashion  before  the  outset  of  the 
summer,  when  I  literally  lived  in  the  park  and  gardens, 
taking  my  daily  lessons  there  with  my  dear  old  Abbe, 
under  the  spreading  boughs  of  flowering  laburnums 
and  lilac-trees.  The  gardens  at  home,  sheltered  from 
the  ocean  winds  by  enormous  crenellated  walls  as  an- 
cient as  the  castle  itself,  were  really  a  thing  of  beauty, 
and  the  pride  of  both  my  parents,  from  whom  I  have 
inherited  my  intense  devotion  to  flowers.  My  own  par- 
ticular corner  was  one  of  my  greatest  preoccupations. 
I  dug  and  planted  and  pruned  and  watered  my  plants, 
and  was  continually  making  inroads  upon  the  superb 
plat  tes  -  bandes  and  hot -houses  of  the  head  gardener, 
who  always  threatened  to  disclose  my  numberless 
thefts  to  "The  Great  Powers,"  and  yet  never  did  so, 
poor  old  man,  for  he  loved  me  dearly,  and  had  been 
in  my  grandfather's  service  before  my  father  was 
born. 

One ,  morning  early  that  spring  I  was  very  busy 
with  a  plot  of  reseda  and  cockle-shells,  which  I  was  at- 
tempting to  transplant.  My  Abb£,  sitting  on  a  garden 
bench  near-by,  was  piously  reading  his  breviary,  and 
my  dog  Bataille  was  lying  in  the  sun,  occasionally 
catching  a  gnat  with  a  snap  of  his  big,  lazy  jaws.  I 
was  so  absorbed  in  my  work  that  I  did  not  notice  my 
father  as  he  approached  and  stood  close  beside  me.  My 
name,  softly  pronounced,  made  me  turn  round,  and  then 
I  saw  him.  His  hands  were  behind  his  back,  and  on 
his  face  was  a  serious  yet  joyful  expression,  which  struck 
me  at  once. 

"Oh,  papa,  what  is  it?"  I  cried,  throwing  my  spade 
with  a  crash  upon  the  gravelled  walk. 

54 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

"Pierrot,  what  do  you  think?  The  blessed  angels 
have  brought  you  a  little  brother!" 

I  stared  hard  at  him ;  then,  with  one  of  my  unexpected, 
reckless  bounds,  I  threw  myself  literally  upon  him. 

"Have  you  got  him  behind  your  back?  Show  him 
to  me,  papa!  Please  show  him  to  me!" 

This  was  too  much  even  for  the  Abbess  gravity,  and 
he  burst  into  a  roar  of  laughter,  in  which  my  father 
joined  heartily.  When  their  merriment  had  subsided, 
and  the  worthy  priest  had  been  thanked  for  the  con- 
gratulations which  he  poured  forth  from  the  depths  of  his 
honest  soul,  I  was  taken  into  the  house  to  view  the  little 
stranger.  I  was  a  little  offended  at  having  been  laughed 
at,  but  I  did  not  like  to  say  so,  and  when  my  father  took 
me  in  his  arms  to  carry  me  up-stairs,  as  was  often  his 
custom,  I  nestled  against  his  shoulder  and  patted  his 
cheek  with  my  little  hands,  grimy  from  gardening 
though  they  were. 

My  mother's  room  was  slightly  darkened  by  rose- 
colored  blinds,  and  she  lay  in  bed,  looking  so  lovely 
that  she  made  me  think  of  the  little  Madonna  of  Cor- 
reggio  which  hung  in  my  father's  room.  Beside  her, 
on  a  lace-covered  cushion,  was  a  really  magnificent, 
fat,  rosy,  blue-eyed  baby,  with  tiny  rings  of  golden  hair, 
as  fine  as  fits  de  la  Vierge,  on  its  soft,  round  head.  I 
gazed  speechlessly  at  this  picture,  listened  mechanically 
to  the  twittering  of  a  little  bird  bursting  its  tiny  throat 
with  gleeful  melody  in  the  garden  below,  and  in  my 
amazement  took  no  notice  of  the  hand  extended  to  me 
by  my  mother. 

"This  is  your  little  brother,  Pierrot;  won't  you  kiss 
him?"  she  said,  in  a  weak  voice,  which  did  not  sound 
like  her  own  at  all. 

"Do  not  speak,  my  dearest!  Do  not  tire  yourself," 
whispered  my  father,  and,  pushing  me  forward,  he  con- 

55 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A   PRINCESS 

tinued,  "  Kiss  your  little  brother,  Pierrot,  but  go  softly 
about  it."  Thus  admonished  I  bent  gently  down  and 
pressed  my  lips  to  the  smooth  forehead,  but  I  did  not 
like  the  feeling  of  that  yielding,  velvety  flesh  under  my 
lips,  and  I  drew  back  quickly. 

"Are  you  afraid  of  him?"  said  the  nurse,  a  tall,  lean, 
white-capped  woman  whom  I  had  not  observed  before. 
I  shrugged  my  shoulders,  and,  in  a  voice  loud  enough  to 
be  heard  at  the  farther  end  of  the  next  room,  I  exclaimed 
that  I  was  afraid  of  nothing,  "of  nothing  at  all  in  the 
whole  world!"  A  queer  smile  lighted  up  my  mother's 
pale  face,  and,  turning  her  head  a  little  towards  me,  she 
said,  proudly : 

"  Is  it  not  a  beautiful  baby,  Pierrot — so  big  and  plump 
and  rosy?" 

A  singular  feeling  clutched  at  my  heart  for  a  second. 
"Ah,  yes!"  thought  I,  "a  beautiful  one,  plump  and  big 
and  rosy!  Not  small  and  pale  and  gray-eyed  like  me!" 
But  as  I  was  a  rather  good  child,  in  spite  of  my  many 
faults,  I  answered :  "  Yes,  Matushka,  it  is  very  pretty 
— just  like  a  wax  doll,"  and  then,  hastily  kissing  my 
mother's  hand,  which  she  had  let  fall  on  the  coverlet,  I 
flew  out  of  the  room,  pursued  by  the  "  Gently,  gently, 
my  child!"  spoken  somewhat  angrily  by  the  white- 
capped  nurse. 

My  daily  life  was  by  no  means  altered  by  this  ad- 
dition to  our  family.  I  saw  yet  a  little  less  of  my  mother 
than  I  had  done  before,  for  she  was  so  wrapped  up  in 
her  new  and  precious  possession  that  she  devoted  her 
entire  time  to  little  Bertrand,  and  for  some  to  me  quite 
unexplainable  reason  she  invariably  called  him  the 
Son  and  Heir.  This  woman  of  the  world,  fond  of 
pleasure  and  of  amusement,  became  a  model  mamma 
with  the  advent  of  the  baby,  who  from  the  first  moment 
was  treated  by  everybody  excepting  by  my  father,  who 

56 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A  PRINCESS 

never  dislodged  me  from  my  estate  in  his  affections,  as 
the  autocrat  of  the  entire  household  before  whom  all 
were  forced  to  bend  the  knee. 

I  loved  this  little  brother  dearly,  but  I  would  have 
loved  him  far  more  had  I  not  been  strictly  forbidden  to 
touch  him  or  to  approach  him  except  by  special  permis- 
sion. As  it  was,  I  soon  learned  to  hold  aloof,  and  con- 
tinued to  do  so  until  the  magnetic  attraction  radiating 
from  him  proved  too  strong  to  be  resisted. 

The  summer  with  its  customary  series  of  out-door 
pleasures,  the  fishing  in  the  shallow  pools  at  the  foot 
of  the  cliffs,  the  long  hours  of  paddling  in  the  wet  sands 
or  amid  the  big  rocks  made  slippery  by  sea-weed,  and 
among  which  I  gathered  mussels,  small  oysters,  clams, 
and  other  treasures,  including  huge  green  crabs  and 
jelly-fish,  were  enjoyed  as  heretofore.  More  than  ever  I 
adored  the  sea,  and  ran  in  and  out  of  the  water  twenty 
times  a  day  in  hot  weather,  so  much  so,  indeed,  that  my 
mother,  enthroned  on  a  cane  arm-chair,  sheltered  by  a 
colossal  sun-shade  on  the  sands,  with  the  baby's  nurse 
beside  her  and  a  novel  on  her  lap,  warned  me  languidly 
to  be  careful  lest  my  feet  should  become  webbed  like 
unto  those  of  a  duck. 

As  time  went  on  I  realized  more  and  more  that 
strange  times,  indeed,  had  come  to  pass,  and  that  I  was 
in  some  way  a  source  of  continual  irritation  to  my 
mother  and  to  all  those  who  formed  her  own  clique, 
or  miniature  court.  I  was  unceasingly  reproved  when 
my  own  dear  daddy  was  out  of  hearing,  and  my  child- 
ish heart  began  to  swell  with  a  sense  of  perpetual  injus- 
tice which  I  was,  however,  too  proud  to  confess  to  him. 

This  unenviable  state  of  affairs  reached  its  climax 
during  a  short  trip  which  he  was  forced  to  undertake 
to  Paris,  and  which  the  dangerously  hot  weather  report- 
ed from  there  prevented  me  from  sharing  with  him. 

57 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

My  mother  was  still  a  model  parent  to  me  in  many  ways. 
She  was  ever  heedful  of  my  needs,  both  of  body  and  of 
brain.  But  I  felt,  as  young  children  feel  what  they  can- 
not explain — and  in  this  case  it  was — that  since  my 
brother's  advent  into  her  life  I  had  become  an  unim- 
portant member  of  the  household.  When,  by  chance, 
I  touched  her,  I  felt  numb  and  cold.  Yet  I  was  not 
at  all  jealous  of  that  beautiful  baby  who  was  her  idol. 
On  the  contrary,  I  loved  him  passionately,  and  soon 
displayed  the  same  ruses  which  had  once  distinguished 
my  secret  intercourse  with  the  eagle  "  Fulvius,"  in  or- 
der to  steal  to  the  nursery  when  the  little  fellow  was 
alone  with  his  attendants. 

How  I  did  coax  them  to  let  me  hold  him  for  a  minute, 
or  to  kiss  his  soft,  little  face,  or  his  morsels  of  chubby 
hands,  like  crumpled  apple-blossoms!  He  was  begin- 
ning to  know  me,  and  often  crowed  with  delight  when 
I  came  in,  much  to  my  gratification.  Moreover,  there 
was  a  flavor  of  forbidden  fruit  in  these  stolen  interviews, 
which  made  them  a  thousandfold  more  attractive  to  me, 
for  I  felt  that  I  was  doing  a  doughty  deed  and  risking 
terrible  consequences  by  thus  infringing  my  mother's 
orders.  Nor  was  I  mistaken  in  this,  as  I  was  doomed 
to  soon  discover. 

On  the  afternoon  of  my  hurried  flight  to  my  grand- 
mother's "Fairy  Castle,"  when  reaching  home  after  a 
long  ride  with  Jinks,  I  entered  the  house  by  a  side 
door,  and,  cautiously  threading  my  way  through  the 
long  galleries  and  up  the  back  staircase,  I  came  at 
last  to  the  day-nursery.  Opening  the  door  noiselessly, 
to  my  joy  and  surprise  I  found  the  baby  lying  on  a  thick 
rug,  enclosed  by  a  movable  barrier  of  cushioned  bamboo, 
and  gazing  with  that  peculiar  vacant  stare  of  the  very 
young  at  the  painted  ceiling  above.  Evidently  his 
nurses  had  left  him  there  out  of  harm's  way  for  a  few 

58 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

moments,  for  I  heard  their  voices  in  the  adjoining  lin- 
gerie, as  they  laughed  and  chatted. 

Here  was  my  opportunity.  Very  carefully  I  stepped 
over  the  low  barrier  and,  sitting  down,  drew  the  little 
lace-shrouded  bundle  of  soft,  warm  babyhood  on  my 
lap.  I  was  shaking  with  excitement,  and  my  joy  was 
boundless  when  I  discovered  that  the  tiny  autocrat 
did  not  resent  my  intrusion,  but  allowed  me  to  fondle 
him  as  much  as  I  pleased.  Nay,  I  fancied  that  he  ac- 
tually winked  his  big  blue  eyes  at  me,  just  as  if  he  en- 
tered into  the  spirit  of  this  unusual  spree.  Again  and 
again  I  kissed  his  round  cheeks  and  clasped  his  wee 
fingers,  which  closed  vigorously  about  mine,  and  I 
became  so  absorbed  in  this  blissful  pastime  that  I  did 
not  hear  the  light  footsteps  of  small  booted  feet,  nor 
notice  that  I  was  discovered  in  ftagranti-delicto  until 
a  sudden  shadow  intercepted  the  light  from  the  nearest 
window,  and  fell  like  a  menacing  cloud  upon  the  baby's 
upturned,  dimpled  face. 

"  So  this  is  how  you  obey  me,  is  it?" 

The  voice  was  astonishingly  cold  and  stern,  almost 
cruelly  metallic,  and  my  mother,  in  her  tight-fitting 
riding-habit,  her  slender  hands  clinched  upon  the  handle 
of  her  whip,  struck  terror  to  my  usually  very  dauntless 
little  heart. 

The  slow,  suffocating  beating  of  my  heart  sounded 
loudly  in  my  ears,  like  the  regular  strokes  of  a  merciless 
sledge-hammer.  I  put  the  baby  down  on  the  rug  with 
lingering  tenderness,  and  then  stood  up,  squared  my 
shoulders,  and  forced  myself  to  look  my  mother  full  in 
the  eyes.  All  the  imperiousness  of  a  long  line  of  an- 
cestors who  had  been  leaders  of  men  and  had  known 
no  rule  but  their  own  caprice  rose  in  my  entire  being 
like  a  swiftly  rushing  tide.  My  fear  vanished,  and  I 
determined  to  fight  for  what  I  considered  my  rights. 

59 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

With  a  step  my  mother  reached  me  and  put  her  hand 
heavily  on  my  shoulder. 

"  You  young  hawk !  Lower  those  bold  eyes  when  I 
speak  to  you,"  she  said,  harshly.  "Do  you  think  that 
you  are  master  here?  Not  so,  my  haughty  one!  Nous 
avons  change  tout  cela.  You  dare  to  disobey  your 
mother?  Ask  my  forgiveness  at  once!" 

I  remained  stubbornly  and  resolutely  silent  and  ob- 
stinate. 

"Do  you  hear  me?"  she  continued,  now  evidently 
beside  herself  with  fury,  and  scarcely  measuring  the 
value  of  her  words.  "You  are  robbing  your  brother  of 
his  father's  love.  You  are  more  to  him  than  even  I 
am,  and  it  is  time  that  you  should  be  put  back  where 
you  belong,  you  little  usurper! 

"  O  Venus !    Schone  Frau  tneine ; 
Ihr  seid  eine  Teufelinne!" 

An  angry  woman!  Is  there  a  fiercer  thing  on  earth? 
Hardly,  I  think,  especially  when  the  woman  is  young 
and  fair  and  high-bred,  for  then  it  is  as  if  one  witnessed 
the  fall  of  an  angel.  "  Eine  Teufelinne!" 

Those  flashing  black  eyes,  that  marmorean  skin, 
white  with  passion,  the  drawn  crimson  lips  showing 
the  pearly  teeth  clinched  rigidly,  gave  one  the  impres- 
sion of  a  fiend  broken  loose!  And  yet — this  was  my 
mother,  the  mother  whom  I  had  known  in  other  moods, 
on  whose  knee  I  had  sometimes  rested  my  head,  who 
had  stooped  over  me  in  my  childish  dreams,  whom  I  had 
always  been  so  proud  of  in  spite  of  all! 

"  You  have  no  right  to  speak  like  that,"  I  cried.  "  If 
papa  was  here  you  would  not  dare  to!  I've  done  no 
harm,  and  you  are  always  cruel  and  unjust  to  me!" 

I  was  so  indignant,  so  deeply  roused,  that  a  red  mist 

60 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A   PRINCESS 

seemed  to  fill  the  room,  and  I  doubled  my  fists  till  my 
nails  cut  the  flesh  of  my  hands.  Fleet  was  the  retribu- 
tion. I  had  never  as  yet  been  beaten,  but  now  I  tasted 
for  the  first  time,  in  all  its  fulsomeness,  the  bitter  humil- 
iation of  corporal  punishment.  Down  came  the  supple 
leash  of  the  hunting-whip  upon  my  shoulders,  not  once, 
but  twenty  times  at  least,  before  I  realized  the  horror 
of  what  was  happening  to  me.  Then,  with  a  yell  of 
rage,  I  snatched  at  the  knout-like  weapon,  and  with  sur- 
prising force  I  hurled  it  out  of  the  window,  smashing  the 
thick  glass  thereof  to  atoms.  Gathering  myself  togeth- 
er, I  ran  like  a  pursued  animal  out  of  the  room,  down 
the  broad  stairs,  and  into  the  stable-yard,  in  search  of 
dear,  sympathetic  old  Jinks.  There  was  nobody  in 
sight  save  my  own  faithful  little  groom,  a  lad  of  fifteen, 
who  was  devoted  to  me,  and  who,  seeing  me  dishevelled 
and  shaken  by  dry,  convulsive  sobs,  rushed  towards 
me  and  laid  hands  on  me. 

I  shook  him  off  with  as  little  difficulty  as  had  he  been 
a  feather — such  was  my  excitement — and  ran  on  at  full 
speed  through  the  park  with  the  lad  following  in  my 
track. 

The  smallest  details  of  this  wretched  chain  of  events 
were  before  me  again  as  I  now  watched  my  grand- 
mother, and  yet  I  hesitated  to  tell  even  her,  whom  I  loved 
so  devotedly,  what  had  happened.  It  had  to  be  done, 
however,  and  so,  with  flaming  cheeks  and  halting 
speech,  I  finally  made  a  clean  breast  of  the  whole  matter. 

There  was  no  doubt  about  her  being  greatly  moved. 
When  I  came  to  the  description  of  the  ignominious 
thrashing  that  had  been  administered  to  me,  the  effect  on 
her  was  far  greater  than  I  could  have  imagined.  The 
high-bred  face  of  the  old  aristocrat  grew  set  and  stern, 
her  eyes  flashed  like  live  sapphires,  and  she  drew  herself 
up  with  what  I  saw  was  indignation,  pure  and  simple. 

61 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

Tears  of  mortification  had  risen  to  my  eyes,  and,  en- 
couraged by  my  grandmother's  silence,  I  exclaimed, 
spitefully : 

"We  will  see  what  papa  says  to  this!" 

Quick  as  lightning  her  fingers  were  placed  on  my  lips, 
and,  in  a  tone  serious  and  solemn  enough  to  frighten 
me  thoroughly,  she  said,  with  much  decision : 

"Your  father  will  say  nothing,  because  I  trust  that 
through  you  at  least  he  will  never  hear  of  this — this 
out — this  unfortunate  incident." 

"Nothing?"  I  echoed,  extremely  perturbed. 

"Certainly,  nothing!  Would  you  play  the  part  of 
informer  on  your  mother,  and  even  in  such  a  case  could 
you  see  your  way  to  justify  your  glaring  disobedience, 
or  your  violence,  not  to  call  it  by  a  harsher  name?" 

I  hung  my  head. 

"  Vous  I'avez  voulu,  mon  en  font  I  C'est  la  guerre!" 
she  added,  sadly,  "your  mother  will  not  forgive  you  this 
day's  work,  but  I  do  not  think  that  she  will  speak  to 
your  father  about  it." 

"Of  course  she  won't,"  I  murmured.  "She  knows 
that  he  would  not  stand  having  me  beaten  like  a  dog — 
yes,  like  a  dog,  grandmamma — I  the  eldest  son,  who 
will  some  time  be  the  head  of  the  family." 

"  Hush,  hush!  I  cannot  allow  you  to  say  such  things," 
and  almost  to  herself  she  murmured,  woefully,  "  Voila 
bien  ce  que  j'attendais  I" 

At  this  juncture  a  footman  appeared  at  the  door,  and 
announced  no  less  a  personage  than  my  mother.  With 
a  smothered  exclamation  I  jumped  to  my  feet  and  stood 
anxiously  watching  the  meeting  of  these  two  thorough- 
paced women  of  the  world,  under  whose  exquisite  court- 
liness and  polish  I  had  somehow  or  other  instinctively 
guessed  long  ago  that  no  great  love  was  concealed. 

I  had  never  realized  as  completely  as  I  did  now  the 

62 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

inimitable  grace,  the  languor,  ease,  and  the  absolute 
mastery  of  any  situation,  however  difficult  it  might 
prove  to  be,  which  were  such  marked  characteristics 
of  my  mother.  She  was,  indeed,  a  perfect  type  of  that 
most  alarming  of  animals,  a  great  mondaine,  unham- 
pered by  the  small  scruples  and  the  diffidence  begotten 
by  a  tender  heart. 

I  looked  on  with  the  fascination  of  a  bird  gazing  at  a 
snake,  while  she  bent  before  her  mother-in-law — the  only 
being  in  the  world  of  whom  she  stood  in  some  awe,  I 
believe — and  raised  the  latter's  hand  to  her  lips.  I  had 
seen  this  form  of  homage  repeated  on  every  occasion 
when  the  two  women  had  met  in  my  presence.  But  to- 
day it  impressed  me  with  a  sense  of  insincerity  on  one 
side  and  of  bare  toleration  on  the  other,  which  left  an 
unpleasant  impression  on  my  mind. 

"I  am  sorry  that  this  unruly  child  should  have  dis- 
turbed you,  ma  mere,"  said  my  mother,  with  gracious 
apology  in  her  dulcet  tones,  "and  I  have  come  to  send 
Pierrot  home  if  you  will  permit  it.  His  father  will  re- 
turn in  the  morning,  and,  as  you  know,  he  would  miss 
him  sadly  should  he  find  him  absent  upon  his  arrival." 

"You  will  have  some  tea,  Vera,  before  thinking  of 
going,"  replied  my  grandmother,  and,  turning  to  me, 
she  bade  me  go  and  tell  the  butler  to  refill  the  samovar. 
"  You  need  not  come  back,  Pierrot,  until  I  send  for  you, 
as  you  have  had  your  gotiter  already ;  you  can  go  to  the 
gardener  and  ask  him  for  some  of  your  favorite  carna- 
tions to  take  away  with  you." 

I  understood  perfectly  why  I  was  thus  sent  away. 
And  I  was  by  no  means  displeased  to  avoid  the  impend- 
ing explanation  between  my  mother  and  grandmother. 
The  carnations  were,  of  course,  a  mere  excuse,  for  I  was 
not  allowed,  as  a  rule,  to  go  near  the  wonderful  col- 
lections of  multi-colored  blossoms  which  were  the  talk 

63 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

of  the  whole  country-side.  I  thought,  with  a  return  of 
my  eternal  insousiance,  that,  after  all,  h  quelque  chose 
malheur  est  bon,  as  I  walked  towards  the  glass-houses, 
followed  by  Pirame,  the  great  bloodhound,  so  gentle 
to  his  friends  and  so  fierce  to  his  foes,  who  shuffled 
along  on  his  huge,  noiseless  pads,  thrusting  his  damp 
nose  in  my  hand,  en  vieux  camarade. 

Naturally,  I  was  not  informed  of  what  took  place  dur- 
ing the  memorable  half -hour  of  my  absence,  but  the 
result  of  the  interview  between  the  two  grandes  puis- 
sances was  a  surprising  one.  When  I  returned  to 
the  room,  tenderly  carrying  a  sheath  of  odorous  car- 
nations, given  me  by  special  command,  the  two 
women  were  to  all  appearances  peacefully  discuss- 
ing the  strange  inclemency  of  the  weather,  and  my 
mother's  dark,  slumberous  eyes  scanned  me  with  a 
nonchalant  indulgence  to  which  I  had  not  of  late  been 
accustomed. 

"Your  grandmother  has  been  kind  enough  to  plead 
your  cause,  and  has  been  so  successful/'  she  murmured, 
with  unwonted  suavity,  and  with  an  amiable  conde- 
scension which  was  marked  by  poignant  irony  and 
which  I  did  not  like — the  melodious  voice  was  so  re- 
lentless in  spite  of  the  apparent  kindliness  of  the  words 
— "that  I  am  ready  to  forgive  your  extraordinary  be- 
havior, provided  you  feel  genuinely  repentant." 

Restive  little  beast  that  I  was,  I  could  not  bring  my- 
self to  reply  in  a  proper  fashion,  indeed.  I  would  have 
liked  nothing  better  than  to  throw  down  my  precious 
burden  of  flowers  and  run  from  the  room,  rather  than 
face  the  necessity  of  expressing  totally  absent  regrets, 
for  my  past  ill  conduct. 

I  had  often  gloried  in  my  childish  pride  at  the  thought 
that  my  forefathers  had  died  on  the  scaffold,  in  the 
grim  slaughter  of  Quiberon,  and  at  the  time  of  the  Cru- 

64 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

sades,  that  they  had  been  loyal  and  plucky  beyond 
all  things  always,  that  they  had  been  incapable  of  ut- 
tering a  lie  to  save  themselves  even  from  the  most  awful 
predicaments.  I  knew  that  their  atmosphere  had  been 
one  of  fidelity,  of  courage,  and  of  dignity.  Why  should 
I,  then,  their  descendant,  claim  to  be  sorry  when  noth- 
ing was  further  from  my  mind.  Furthermore,  my 
mother  would  know  perfectly  well  that  I  was  merely 
cringing  to  avoid  further  chastisement,  and  this  was 
bitter  gall  to  me. 

Fortunately,  my  grandmother  came  to  the  rescue. 
Drawing  me  towards  her,  she  said,  persuasively :  "  There 
is  never  any  shame  in  confessing  one's  wrong-doings, 
Pierrot,  or  in  asking  pardon  for  an  offence.  It  is  the 
truest  and  noblest  form  of  courage  to  do  so." 

Thus  adjured,  I  looked  up  less  dejectedly  and  said,  in 
a  low,  shamed  voice,  hardly  above  a  whisper : 

"I  beg  your  forgiveness,  mother." 

A  slight  frown  drew  her  delicately  pencilled  brows 
together.  Such  an  amende  honorable  did  not  satisfy 
her,  evidently.  The  famous  theory  about  la  voix  du 
sang  is,  I  fear,  a  mere  illusion,  for  it  is  by  no  means  a 
spontaneous  or  an  irresistible  growth,  and  just  then  I 
felt  acutely  that  whatever  amour  maternel  my  mother 
might  have  felt  for  me  once  was  now  obliterated  by  an 
all-engrossing  passion  for  her  last-born,  and  also  by 
some  other  cause  which  I  was  quite  unable  to  com- 
prehend. 

A  cold  shiver  ran  between  my  shoulders  when  I  took 
her  extended  hand  and  brushed  it  with  my  lips.  My 
heart  was  extraordinarily  heavy,  but  I  did  not  like  to 
have  this  noticed,  and  so  I  withdrew  to  the  window 
under  pretence  of  admiring  my  flowers,  taking  but 
slight  heed  of  the  "  voila  qui  est  arrange,  mais  ne  recom- 
mengez  plus,"  uttered  by  my  parent,  and  which  seemed 
E  65 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

to  me  to  be  the  promise  of  a  mere  truce  instead  of  the 
beginning  of  better  things. 

I  looked  forward  with  dread  to  the  drive  home  which 
I  supposed  I  should  have  to  take  with  her,  for  her  horses 
were  just  then  curvetting  and  prancing  beneath  the 
windows.  Fortunately,  I  was  spared  this  mauvais  quart 
d'heure.  In  my  agitation  I  had  not  noticed  that  she  was 
already  dressed  for  a  dinner  which  she  was  to  attend 
at  the  chateau  of  the  famous  sporting  Baron  de  la 
H.  J.,  whose  skill  when  hunting  boars  and  wolves  in 
his  own  immense  woods  was  only  equalled  by  his  lordly 
hospitality.  A  long,  soft  wrap  of  white  Indian  crepe, 
embroidered  with  silver  threads,  partly  concealed  her 
primrose-hued  gown,  and  the  little  hood  which  she  now 
carefully  drew  over  her  head  framed  her  almost  perfect 
face  in  a  halo  of  lace  that  enhanced  its  cameo-like 
beauty.  While  slipping  her  bracelets  and  porte-bon- 
heurs  over  her  white  Suede  gloves,  she  said,  in  her  or- 
dinary cool,  well-modulated  voice : 

"  Your  grandmother  is  kind  enough  to  send  you  home 
with  Jean,  and  has  asked  me  to  let  you  take  dinner 
with  her,  Dushka.  I  am  delighted  to  conform  to  her 
wishes  in  the  matter,  and  only  hope  that  my  leniency 
will  encourage  you  to  behave  better  in  the  future  than 
you  have  in  the  past. 

When  my  mother  called  me  "Dushka" — which  in 
Russian  means  something  like  "my  little  soul" — she 
reached  the  utmost  limits  of  maternal  tenderness,  for 
that  was  the  only  endearing  name  which  she  ever  used 
towards  me.  I  was  all  the  more  astonished,  therefore, 
to  hear  her  use  it  now,  and  could  not  help  thinking,  glee- 
fully and  rebelliously,  that  "she  had  gotten  it  hot  and 
heavy"  indeed  from  granny,  for  else  she  would  not 
have  gone  so  far  out  of  her  way  to  be  kind  to  me  after 
my  defiant  attitude  towards  her. 

66 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

If  this  was  the  case,  I,  at  any  rate,  received  no  enlight- 
enment on  the  subject,  for  when  my  Lady  Mother  had 
taken  her  departure  I  was  treated  to  a  little  sermon,  ten- 
derly but  firmly  administered  by  the  darling  old  woman 
whom  I  cherished  with  all  my  heart,  and  whose  favorite 
grandchild  I  knew  well  that  I  was. 

While  she  was  talking  to  me  I  stood  pensively  on  the 
balcony,  one  of  the  long  windows  having  been  thrown 
open  to  let  in  the  balmy  evening  breeze,  laden  with  the 
perfume  of  flowers  and  the  freshness  of  the  ocean,  and 
watched  the  gulls  flying  lazily  about  in  the  purified 
atmosphere.  I  have  always  loved  gulls,  they  are  such 
irrepressible,  noisy,  silvery  creatures;  and  "Granny's 
Gulls,"  as  I  used  to  call  them,  were  old  friends  of  mine 
which  I  took  the  utmost  pleasure  in  feeding  whenever 
I  came  to  see  her.  The  instant  I  showed  myself  they 
used  to  wheel  round  and  come  rushing  towards  me 
with  harsh,  discordant  cries  meant  no  doubt  for  joyful 
greetings,  but  which  on  that  special  occasion  grated  on 
my  nerves,  for  I  was  feeling  very  much  bruised,  both 
morally  and  physically. 

Being  very  honest  when  in  self-communion,  even 
in  those  days  I  admitted  to  myself  that  my  mother  had 
good  and  just  cause  this  time  to  be  deeply  angered,  but 
yet,  la  voix  de  la  nature  said  nothing  to  me,  and  I  was 
simply  humiliated  to  have  placed  myself  absolutely 
dans  mon  tort. 

Indeed,  I  felt  somehow  like  a  soldier  who  runs  away 
before  the  enemy.  Why  had  I  not  faced  the  music  and 
taken  my  punishment,  however  hard  it  was,  like  a  man, 
instead  of  flying  for  sanctuary.  That  thought  hurt 
me  deeply,  and  degraded  me  in  my  own  eyes.  Insubor- 
dination towards  a  superior  officer !  "  I  ought  to  have 
been  shot/'  I  muttered  between  my  teeth,  dispersing  the 
importunate  gulls  with  a  wild  wave  of  my  outspread 

67 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

arms  and  a  vicious  stamp  upon  the  stone  floor  of  the 
balcony,  which  hurt  my  foot  considerably.  The  sea, 
the  rocks,  the  sand,  the  greenish-blue  sky,  and  the  gor- 
geous setting  sun  all  went  round  me  in  that  whirl  of 
wrath  like  spinning  tops,  and  I  suddenly  felt  like  crying 
out  with  sheer  vexation  of  spirit. 

At  home  I  never  was  allowed  to  come  down  in  the 
evening  before  dessert  was  on  the  table,  as  I  have  al- 
ready stated,  but  my  grandmother  treated  me  different- 
ly, and  on  the  rare  occasions  when  I  remained  with  her 
after  tea-time  I  took  my  dinner  in  her  company,  proud 
of  the  honor,  and  behaving  as  decorously  as  I  could 
in  order  to  show  my  gratitude  and  appreciation  of  this 
high  favor. 

On  that  particular  night  her  old  friend  the  Marquis 
de  TA.  arrived  upon  the  scene  and  cheered  us  up 
with  his  wittily  told  hunting  stories.  A  famous  sports- 
man, the  marquis  was  the  glad  possessor  of  an  unrival- 
led equipage  de  chasse.  His  horses  and  hounds  were 
regarded  by  true  connoisseurs  as  superior  to  all 
others.  His  castle  contained  a  remarkable  sport- 
ing museum,  and  in  the  library,  among  other  count- 
less treasures,  was  a  hunting -book  recording  many 
celebrated  boar-hunts  of  the  last  century.  I  was  aw- 
fully fond  of  him,  and  never  tired  of  hearing  his  de- 
lightful yarns  about  fur  and  feather;  indeed,  to  be 
noticed  by  the  master  of  the  white-liveried  A.  hunt 
— the  oldest  in  France — was  a  distinction  which  I  fully 
appreciated  and  greatly  plumed  myself  upon. 

That  night  I  enjoyed  a  fete  complete,  for,  instead  of 
being  sent  home  at  half-past  seven,  my  grandmother 
apparently  forgot  me,  and  I  sat  as  quiet  as  a  mouse  on  a 
hassock  between  the  two  old  friends,  who  discussed  at 
great  length  the  chances  of  the  coming  hunting  season. 
Until  recently  my  grandmother  had  still  followed  the 

68 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A   PRINCESS 

hounds,  and  her  renunciation  of  this  her  dearest  pleas- 
ure was  by  no  means  due  to  the  infirmities  of  age,  but, 
as  she  candidly  confessed,  to  a  sort  of  fausse  honte  and  a 
quasi  observance  of  conventionalities  which  are  silly, 
indeed,  when  they  condemn  so  hale  and  hearty  a  wom- 
an as  she  was  to  relinquish  her  distinguished  place  in 
the  hunting-field,  merely  because  she  has  attained  the 
time  when  her  less  privileged  sisters  are  prostrated  by 
the  weight  of  years. 

"Ah,  mon  ami,"  she  said,  with  a  positively  girlish 
laugh,  "  how  much  I  do  miss  the  cool,  bracing  mornings 
when  we  used  to  start  bright  and  early  at  the  tail  of  the 
pack — the  dear  doggies  joyfully  rushing  out  of  the 
kennels  while  we  were  mounting  our  impatient  and  ea- 
ger horses.  I  often  catch  myself  humming  the  ever- 
welcome  lines  of  the  '  Sortie  du  Chenil/  You  know — 

"  '  Sortez  du  Chenil, 

Mes  vaillants  limiers. 
II  faut  aujourd'hui  faire  belle  chasse; 

Montrez,  mes  bons  chiens, 

Montrez,  votre  race  .  .  . 

Franchissez,  buissons  et  halliers.' " 

"That's  right,"  laughed  the  marquis.  "Why,  you 
are  as  young  as  you  were  twenty  years  ago,  and  I  call 
it  a  downright  shame  that  you  should  have  forsaken 
us.  We  miss  you  so  often  that  I  think  it  is  mere  self- 
ishness on  your  part  to  lock  yourself  up  here  in  your 
charmed  castle  like  an  angered  fairy.  You  should 
have  seen  your  grandmother,  Pierrot,  in  those  days! 
There  wras  never  a  woman  to  touch  her.  Always  splen- 
didly mounted,  and  wearing  habits  that  fitted  like 
gloves,  she  was  the  picture  of  a  horsewoman  and  of  a 
huntress." 

"  Fie,  my  dear  friend !  Curb  your  enthusiasm !  You 
are  becoming  quite  lyrical.  Pierrot  has  seen  you  in 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

the  saddle  and  you  cannot  help  confessing  qu'apres 
vous  il  faut  tirer  I'echelle.  My  sons  are  superb  on  horse- 
back, especially  this  little  chap's  father.  But  you  are 
tout-tb-fait  de  I'ancienne  ecole;  de  la  vieille  roche! — you 
are  faultless!" 

And  thus  did  the  two  old  "  comrades "  make  me  an 
excuse  for  bringing  up  a  host  of  pleasant  memories 
which  filled  my  little  sporting  soul  with  delight,  and 
made  me  more  anxious  than  ever  to  keep  up  the  tra- 
ditions of  my  race,  every  member  of  which  had  ap- 
parently an  unconquerable  taste  for  trying  to  break 
his  or  her  neck  across  country. 

Later,  just  before  I  finally  departed,  accompanied  by 
the  faithful  Jean,  I  had  the  pleasure  of  hearing  the 
gallant  marquis  singing,  accompanied  by  my  grand- 
mother's tender  touch  on  the  ancient  spinnet,  those 
inimitable  strophes  of  De  Musset,  "  La  Nuit  de  Mai," 
which  she  had  set  to  music  herself.  And  as  we  drove 
rapidly  along  the  moonlit  road  I  warbled  with  praise- 
worthy impartiality  mixtures  of  the  "  Sortie  du  Chenil," 
and  of — 

"  Poete,  prends  ton  luth  et  me  donne  un  baiser ; 

La  fleur  de  1'eglantier  sent  ses  bourgeons  6clore. 
Le  printemps  nait  ce  soir ;  les  vents  vont  s'embraser, 

Et  la  bergeronnette,  en  attendant  1'aurore, 
Aux  premiers  buissons  verts  commence  a  se  poser. 
Poete,  prends  ton  luth  et  me  donne  un  baiser." 


CHAPTER  IV 

"A  1'horizon  court  un  nuage 

Au  flanc  noir : 

Piti6,  car  nous  aurons  1'orage 
Avant  ce  soir." 

IT  has  always  been  a  subject  of  painful  surprise  to  me 
that  Almighty  God  should  ever  permit  the  black  wing 
of  real,  deep,  despairing  sorrow  to  touch  the  brow  of  the 
very  young.  I  do  not  mean  in  saying  this  to  be  ir- 
reverent. Far  be  such  a  thing  from  my  thoughts! 
But  the  agony  of  a  childish  mind  is  infinitely  more  ter- 
rible to  witness  than  that  of  the  already  formed  and 
tempered  being,  armed  cap-a-pie  to  fight  the  battles 
of  life.  The  white  purity  of  youth  should  rightfully 
not  be  disturbed  or  tarnished  by  a  blast  from  that  de- 
stroying furnace  which  we  must  all  enter  sooner  or 
later.  Intense  bitterness,  intense  anguish,  intense  lone- 
liness of  soul  and  of  heart,  are  burdens  far  too  great 
to  be  borne  by  the  soft  organism  of  a  child,  and  when 
such  a  thing  comes  to  pass,  alas !  the  little  spotless  spirit 
is  scarred  forever  with  a  mark  which  nothing  can  efface. 

I  speak  strongly,  for  I  know  what  such  a  wound 
means,  and  I  have  carried  through  life  the  shuddering 
remembrance  of  the  hour  when  it  was  dealt  to  me.  For 
a  long  time  it  left  me  no  hope  of  any  kind.  Weak  and 
giddy  with  horror,  I  wished  a  thousand  times  that  I 
could  die,  wished  it  passionately,  ceaselessly ;  for  death 
seemed  to  me  the  only  healing  power,  the  only  possible 
road  out  of  my  misery.  The  aged,  strangely  enough, 
fear  Pallida-Mors,  but  for  the  young  she  has  no  terrors, 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

and,  indeed,  often  appears  in  the  guise  of  a  kind  and 
soothing  deity. 

One  morning  I  awoke  to  find  the  big  bed  alongside  of 
my  own  empty.  I  stared  curiously  around  me,  with  a 
vague  impression  of  calamity.  Had  I  overslept  myself? 
No,  for  the  broad  metal  face  of  the  tall  Louis  XIV.  clock, 
whereon  the  early  sun's  rays  shone,  told  a  different  tale. 
Where  could  my  father  be?  He  never  went  out  before 
breakfast  without  taking  me  with  him,  and,  as  the  door 
of  his  dressing-room  stood  wide  open,  I  felt  sure  that  he 
was  not  taking  his  usual  cold  plunge.  I  sprang  quickly 
from  my  cot,  little  knowing  that  I  was  nearing  the  turn- 
ing-point of  my  existence.  I  wrapped  a  bath -robe 
around  me,  pulled  on  my  slippers  with  violent  haste, 
and  ran  out  into  the  upper  hall.  Everything  was  quiet 
and  sunny  there.  The  tapestried  walls  seemed  to  open 
vistas  of  green  forests  around  me — forests  peopled  by 
dwarfed  hunters  and  horses,  above  which  hovered  doves 
twice  as  large  as  themselves.  This  quaint,  primitive 
art  had  often  made  me  laugh,  for  little  did  I  know  of  the 
value  of  those  splendid  pieces  of  work,  but  I  did  not  feel 
much  like  laughing  just  then.  Rapidly,  but  noiselessly, 
I  bounded  down-stairs  two  steps  at  a  time,  forgetful  of 
the  fact  that  my  costume  was  not  everything  that  it 
should  be.  In  the  Salle  des  Gardes,  I  was  met  by 
Monsieur  TAbbe",  who,  catching  me  in  his  arms,  checked 
my  rapid  flight. 

"Go  back  to  your  room,  Pierrot/'  whispered  he. 
"  Your  father  has  a  headache,  and  is  lying  down  in  his 
study ;  you  must  not  disturb  him." 

"  Papa  a  headache !  Nonsense !"  I  cried,  incredulous- 
ly. "Why,  papa  is  never  ill.  It  cannot  be  true." 
Then  with  a  sudden,  overwhelming,  panic-stricken  burst 
of  fear  I  relapsed  into  Gaelic,  and,  clutching  the  Abb£  s 
arm  with  all  my  might,  I  fairly  shrieked : 

72 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

"Marw  eo!     Marw  eo!"     (He  is  dead!  he  is  dead!) 

"Holy  Mother  of  God,  what  ails  the  child?  Why, 
you  silly  little  thing,  it's  nothing  of  the  kind !  He  has  a 
mere  headache.  Don't  be  a  baby,  Pierrot !  I  never  saw 
you  like  this.  Goodness  gracious,  you  are  as  white 
as  chalk!" 

Kindly  and  gently  the  blessed  old  man  carried  me  up- 
stairs, for  my  trembling  legs  literally  refused  all  service. 
Then  I  felt  ashamed  of  myself.  And  yet  the  agony 
of  those  few  moments  still  remained  with  me.  My  ears 
were  buzzing  as  if  my  skull  were  full  of  water,  and  a 
myriad  of  infinitesimal  sparks  of  light,  forming  them- 
selves into  dazzling  stars,  kept  passing  before  my  eyes 
in  the  most  bewildering  fashion. 

As  I  sat  in  the  great  chair  before  the  window,  gazing 
dizzily  into  the  morning  mist  called  forth  by  the  early 
sun-rays,  and  which,  like  folds  on  folds  of  pink  gauze, 
covered  both  sea  and  shore,  my  heart  stood  still,  and  I 
choked  down  a  sob  that  rose  in  my  throat.  Then  I 
drew  myself  up  slowly,  and  rang  the  bell  to  call  my 
attendants.  In  the  mean  time  Monsieur  l'Abb6  was 
vainly  endeavoring  to  explain  matters  to  me. 

"Please  say  no  more!  Please  don't  speak  to  me!" 
I  implored,  forcing  myself  to  be  calm.  "As  soon  as  I 
have  had  my  bath  and  am  dressed  I  will  ask  you  to 
take  me  to  see  papa,  for  I  know  that  he  is  very  ill." 

"My  child,  it  is  not  so.  Do  not  grieve  thus.  Pray 
believe  me.  Your  dear  father  is  not  in  any  danger. 
But  why  do  you  wish  me  to  take  you  to  him?  Surely, 
if  he  be  awake,  you  need  no  safe  conduct  to  his  pres- 
ence. " 

I  shook  my  head,  but  did  not  reply,  for  I  would  not 
tell  my  Abb6  that  the  uppermost  wish  of  my  heart  was 
to  avoid  one  of  my  mother's  adamantine  edicts  of  ban- 
ishment. 

73 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

My  strange  presentiment,  which  at  first  had  seemed 
out  of  all  proportion  and  reason,  was  nevertheless  but 
the  beginning  of  a  long  spell  of  unutterable  misery, 
for  my  father  sickened  with  typhoid  fever.  All  was 
done  for  him  that  could  be  done.  Our  old  doctor,  a 
learned  and  shrewd  man  in  spite  of  his  rough  exterior, 
was  unremitting  in  his  care,  and  when  the  crisis  ap- 
proached he  summoned  the  greatest  and  most  celebrated 
physicians  from  Paris,  who  shook  their  heads,  mur- 
mured some  platitudes  about  the  resources  to  be  found 
in  a  strong  and  healthy  constitution,  consulted  together 
in  solemn  conclave,  and,  after  duly  pocketing  their 
enormous  fees,  disappeared  from  our  horizon  like  ex- 
traordinarily brilliant  but  intensely  awful  and  myste- 
rious constellations. 

And  meanwhile  he  who  was  my  all  lay  in  the  gloom 
and  silence  of  his  chamber,  although  outside  the  air 
was  mild  and  fragrant,  and  Nature  looked  her  best  in 
her  autumnal  splendor  of  golden  furze  and  bracken, 
murmuring  seas,  and  many-hued  sunsets.  All  the 
splendor  of  his  life  seemed  snapped  asunder  in  its  prime 
and  perfection.  His  great  strength  was  gone  from 
him.  The  poor,  whom  he  had  helped,  and  who  came 
daily  clamoring  at  the  gates  for  news  of  him,  were  aban- 
doned. Day  and  night  white-capped  Sisters  of  Mercy 
watched  by  him,  and  both  my  mother  and  his  own  were 
with  him  in  turns  from  early  morn  till  late  evening.  He 
was  delirious  most  of  the  time,  his  superb  gray  eyes, 
enlarged  and  rendered  intolerably  bright  by  fever,  roam- 
ing incessantly  about  him.  Soon  it  became  evident  that 
he  could  only  be  soothed  when  I — poor  little  mite — 
was  near  him.  He  called  for  me  in  his  delirium,  and 
the  physicians  declared  that  he  must  have  his  way. 
How  proud  and  happy  this  made  me,  in  the  midst  of 
a  sorrow  so  great  that  it  aged  me  at  once  and  carried 

74 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

me  without  transition  from  childhood  to  adolescence. 
He  was  never  contented  except  when  I  knelt  at  the 
side  of  his  bed,  or  sat  quite  close  to  him,  and  held  his 
burning  hand  in  both  of  mine.  Yet  his  mere  presence 
was  sweet  to  me,  with  a  sweetness  which  bordered  on 
anguish. 

I  did  not  realize  this,  of  course,  because  my  thoughts 
and  my  feelings  were  all  confused  and  inarticulate, 
but  I  have  done  so  since,  and  also  the  helpless  sense  of 
impotency  to  save  him  or  even  to  be  of  real  use  which 
weighed  like  lead  upon  the  warmth  and  usual  self-re- 
liance of  my  little  soul. 

I  pause  here,  seeking  words  with  which  to  render  my 
meaning  exactly,  or  to  picture  the  plight  I  was  in. 
Hardy,  and  loving  all  out-door  sports  and  seafaring 
ways  as  I  did,  yet  this  temporary  imprisonment  in  a  sick- 
room was  evoking  in  my  whole  being  something  at  the 
same  time  mystical  and  restive  which  was  utterly  unlike 
my  customary  pluck — something,  in  fact,  which,  wher- 
ever it  is  found,  presages  woe.  My  relations  with  my 
mother,  thanks  to  my  grandmother's  almost  constant 
presence,  were  less  strained  than  they  had  been  since 
my  brother's  advent  into  the  world,  but  nevertheless 
we  made  but  poor  progress — she  and  I — when  left  alone 
together  par  hazard.  I  disappointed  her  perhaps  as 
much  as  she  chilled  me,  although  I  attempted  some- 
times to  please  her  by  little  attentions,  taking  the  form 
of  a  few  flowers  gathered  during  the  daily  walks  which, 
much  to  my  distress,  I  wras  made  to  take  with  Monsieur 
1'Abbe",  and  which  were  brought  to  her  diffidently  by 
me ;  of  a  cushion  placed  behind  her  back  or  a  footstool 
drawn  forward  to  rest  her  slim  and  always  beautifully 
shod  feet  upon.  But  unfortunately  we  do  nothing  well 
that  we  do  half-heartedly,  and  in  spite  of  my  excellent 
intentions  there  must  have  been  something  forced  in 

75 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A   PRINCESS 

these  small  advances  of  mine,  and  she  either  detected 
this,  or  else  disliked  the  whole  proceedings,  for  I  always 
felt  mean  afterwards,  and  just  as  if  I  had  made  myself 
unbearably  ridiculous. 

My  mother's  anxiety  and  concern  during  my  father's 
illness  were  genuine  and  sincere,  and  yet  they  did  not 
soften  her  in  the  least.  An  enfant  gdtee  always,  one 
who  all  her  life  had  had  everything  her  own  way,  she 
maintained  a  serene  immunity  from  all  disagreeable 
obligations,  only  breaking  through  her  selfish  habits 
when  it  suited  her  to  do  so,  and  then  by  singular  fits 
and  starts.  She  was  like  a  self-indulged  child  who 
occasionally  gives  way  to  a  generous  impulse  on  the 
spur  of  the  moment,  and  then  feels  inclined  to  yell  its 
lungs  out  from  sheer  impotent  regret  at  having  done  so. 

She  herself  had  a  sante  de  fer  in  spite  of  her  fragile 
appearance,  but  she  dearly  loved  to  act  as  if  she  were 
doomed  to  die  soon.  Yet  she  had  no  real  sympathy  for 
physical  ailments  —  in  others.  Like  all  perfect  come- 
dians, she  knew  the  difficult  art  d'entrer  dans  la  peau 
du  bonhomme,  which,  in  French  theatrical  jargon,  means 
identifying  one's  self  wholly  with  one's  part.  I  found 
out  much  later  that  she  persuaded  herself  at  times  that 
she  was  really  in  a  distinctly  perilous  state  of  health. 
This  is  a  useful  gift  to  possess  when  one  likes  to  rule 
one's  entourage  with  a  sufficiently  effective  rod. 

At  last  the  terrible  strain  caused  by  my  father's  criti- 
cal condition  began  to  relax,  for  his  medical  men  pro- 
nounced it  to  be  their  opinion  that  the  patient  was  on 
the  mend.  The  crisis  was  past,  they  said,  and  within 
a  comparatively  short  time  he  would  be  entirely  out  of 
danger.  The  reaction  was  something  indescribable 
to  me,  for  I  passed  suddenly  from  the  depths  of  despair, 
with  all  the  elasticity  of  youth,  to  boundless  joy  and 
hope. 

76 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

It  never  occurred  to  me,  for  a  minute,  that  the  en- 
couraging words  of  the  doctors  could  be  doubted,  and 
even  when  my  father  recovered  consciousness,  and 
when  the  extraordinary  weakness  left  by  the  departing 
fever  made  him  look  absolutely  corpse-like,  as  he  lay 
for  hours  together  motionless  and  silent  on  his  bed, 
my  ecstasy  remained  unchecked,  and  I  felt  as  if  I  could 
have  continually  shouted  for  sheer  joy,  so  profound 
was  my  bliss  at  this  unexpected  convalescence. 

Very  slow,  however,  was  the  progress  made  by  him, 
and  it  was  only  after  many  weeks  that  I  once  more  had 
the  intense  gratification  of  driving  out  with  him,  ac- 
companied by  the  young  intern  from  a  Parisian  hospital 
who  had,  during  his  entire  illness,  remained  in  charge 
of  him  at  the  castle. 

At  last  a  day  came  when  the  imposing  Parisian 
specialists  swooped  down  once  more  upon  us  and  decreed 
that  only  a  season  at  Vichy  would  complete  this  mar- 
vellous cure,  which  they  ascribed,  of  course,  to  their  own 
profound  science  and  unerring  ability.  For  once  my 
mother  completely  overruled  my  father's  desires.  She 
would  not  hear  of  my  being  one  of  the  party,  which 
left  Brittany  for  the  famous  bathing-place  without  me, 
and  she  gained  her  point.  With  a  sorely  grieving  heart, 
but  by  no  means  unhopeful  of  the  future,  I  said  what  I 
believed  a  temporary  good-bye  to  the  father  whom  I 
was  never  to  see  again  alive.  It  was  our  first  long 
separation,  and  I  took  it  very  hard.  Thanks  to  the 
absence  of  my  imperious  mother,  however,  I  had  things 
pretty  well  my  own  way  at  home.  My  aunt  had  been 
left  in  charge  of  the  household,  and  she  relaxed  her 
surveillance  to  such  an  extent,  her  tastes  being  above  all 
musical,  and  engrossing  all  her  time,  that,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  my  school-room  duties,  I  was  free  to  ride, 
drive,  or  roam  about  after  my  own  sweet  will.  This 

77 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

I  did,  sometimes  with  my  Abbe1,  sometimes  with  Jinks, 
but  usually  by  myself  within  the  boundary  walls  of 
the  immense  park.  When  I  say  that  the  drive  from 
the  park  gates  up  to  the  castle  was  six  miles  long,  it 
will  explain  how  it  was  that  I  did  not  feel  very  much 
like  a  prisoner.  Even  my  bed-time  hour  had  been  left 
more  or  less  open  to  question.  Old  Gaud,  for  some 
unexplained  reason,  hated  to  thwart  me  at  that  time, 
and  her  oft-repeated  "  poor  little  dear  "  and  "  poor  little 
child"  would  have  made  me  uneasy  had  I  not  been 
too  young  to  realize  that  there  must  be  some  good  cause 
for  her  veiled  sympathy  and  pity. 

One  sultry  night,  that  I  shall  remember  all  my  life,  I 
was  kept  awake  for  several  hours  by  the  exasperating 
sound  of  a  vilely  played  violin  rising  from  the  open 
windows  of  the  music-room  directly  beneath  my  own. 
My  aunt  had  discovered  that  one  of  our  young  neighbors 
was  what  she  called  "a  very  promising  musician,"  and 
had  so  forth  undertaken  the  task  of  making  him  re- 
hearse some  old  scores  which  she  thought  his  talent 
was  especially  fitted  for.  My  recollections  of  this  much- 
vaunted  genius  are  dreadful.  Many  years  later  I  heard 
one  of  those  jingling,  mournful  tunes  he  used  to  play 
on  his  cheap  fiddle  executed  by  the  master  hand  of  the 
great  Sarasate  himself,  and  I  fled  from  the  imperial 
concert-room  where  it  was  being  so  superbly  rendered, 
for  the  sad  memories  the  tune  brought  back  to  me  made 
me  faint,  and  so  absolutely  wretched  that  I  was  forced 
to  seek  solitude  and  fresh  air,  in  order  to  avoid  making 
a  spectacle  of  myself. 

My  nerves  were  pretty  well  shaken  up,  too,  on  that 
hot  night  in  Brittany,  for  three  days  before  a  curious 
thing  had  come  to  pass,  one  which  the  superstitious 
Bretons  of  my  entourage  had  shaken  their  heads  over 
in  gloomy  foreboding,  though  nobody  ventured  to  utter 

78 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

aloud  the  dread  which  had  filled  every  soul  on  the  sub- 
ject. Shortly  before  midnight  on  that  occasion  a  loud 
crash  came  from  my  father's  apartments  and  aroused 
the  household.  On  entering  the  empty  rooms  it  was 
found  that  not  only  had  his  heavy  cavalry  sword  become 
detached  from  its  fastenings  above  his  desk,  but  that  a 
large  mirror,  let  into  the  opposite  wall,  at  least  thirty- 
five  feet  away,  was  split  from  end  to  end.  I  could  not 
help  giving  considerable  importance  to  this  incident, 
even  though  it  was  carefully  explained  to  me  that  the 
fracture  was  caused  by  atmospheric  conditions  —  a 
ludicrous  elucidation  of  the  mystery  that  I  was  fortu- 
nately too  young  to  scorn.  What  with  the  uncanny 
impression  created  upon  me,  however,  by  this  accident, 
and  the  torturing  music  from  below,  I  tossed  and  tum- 
bled on  my  little  cot,  and  finally  climbed  into  the  bed 
where  I  had  been  used  to  see  my  father,  and  to  be  greeted 
by  his  cheery  "  good-morning." 

A  flood  of  bright  moonlight  filled  the  lofty  room, 
where  every  object  was  clearly  distinguishable. 
Through  the  open  windows  a  gentle  murmur  of  the 
waves,  and  a  strong  perfume  of  reseda  and  heliotrope, 
mixed  with  the  pungent  smell  of  sea- weed  and  wet  rocks, 
poured  freely  in.  After  a  long  time  the  music  ceased, 
and  I  dropped  into  a  sort  of  restless  doze  through  wrhich 
I  heard,  or  seemed  to  hear,  many  strange  noises,  includ- 
ing the  sound  of  hurrying  footsteps.  I  was  so  tired, 
however,  that  I  did  not  thoroughly  awaken  until  I  be- 
came instinctively  conscious  that  somebody  was  look- 
ing at  me.  With  a  violent  start  I  sat  up.  There,  at 
the  foot  of  the  great  bed  across  which  I  lay,  stood  a  figure 
draped  in  lugubrious  crepe  veils.  It  took  me  some 
moments  to  recognize  my  mother,  for  I  had  never  seen 
her  otherwise  than  marvellously  gowned  in  light  and 
brilliant  colors.  Her  presence  seemed  to  me  so  awful 

79 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

at  that  moment,  and  so  unexpected,  that  I  could  scarce- 
ly repress  a  shriek  of  terror,  and  it  was  only  after  a 
twice  repeated  struggle  for  speech  that  I  at  last  gasped 
out: 

"  Is  that  you,  mother?    What  is  the  matter?" 

Without  a  gesture,  without  a  single  motion  of  her 
lithe  body,  she  said,  in  a  monotonous  voice : 

"Your  father  is  dead!" 

I  have  a  vague  remembrance  of  uttering  one  wild, 
piercing  cry,  and  then  heaven  and  earth  seemed  to  pass 
away  from  me. 


Try  as  I  may,  I  cannot  bring  myself  to  describe  the 
days,  the  weeks — almost  the  years  that  followed.  Such 
a  process  would  entail  probing  too  deeply  into  a  wound 
that  has  never  healed  completely  as  yet,  although  the 
scars  of  many  others  now  add  their  pain  to  it. 

Everything  seemed  to  have  to  come  to  an  end,  so 
far  as  I  was  concerned.  I  saw  the  world  through  a 
black  curtain,  the  thick  folds  of  which  allowed  no  ray 
of  hope  to  brighten  my  unhappy  lot.  At  first  I  resolved 
to  let  myself  perish  with  hunger,  and  refused  to  take 
any  food,  so  that  I  might  at  once  rejoin  my  dead  father. 
There  is  little  doubt  that  I  would  have  succeeded  — 
for  I  have  always  been  singularly  stubborn  and  firm 
of  purpose — had  it  not  been  for  a  young  friend  of  my 
father's,  a  captain  Comte  d'A.,  who,  pitying  my  de- 
spair, took  the  law  into  his  own  hands,  and,  by  dint  of 
clever  coaxing,  of  pointing  out  to  me  what  he  whom  I 
had  lost  would  have  wished  me  to  do,  led  me  back  to 
something  like  reason.  For,  thanks,  in  a  great  meas- 
ure, to  the  way  in  which  this  crushing  blow  had 
been  dealt  me,  I  certainly  was  partially  insane  for  a 
time. 

80 


Petit  Pierrot,  in  those  gray  eyes, 
That  gaze  in  such  defiant  wise 
Upon  a  hostile  world,  nor  show 
A  tremor  in  their  steady  glow—- 
What a  rebellious  mischief  lies! 

Innocence,  pluck  that  never  dies, 
Hatred  of  wrong  in  every  guise, 
Gleam  there — how  merry  they  can  grow! 
Petit  Pierrot! 

But,  ah!  how  many  t'would  surprise, 
If  they  could  even  half  surmise, 

The  tenderness  that  lies  below 

That  bright,  brave  look,  and  faintly  know, 
The  depths  of  love  that  you  comprise, 
Petit  Pierrot! 

F.  J.  H.  S. 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

The  care  and  truly  unequalled  devotion  displayed  by 
the  young  cavalry  officer  towards  a  broken-hearted  child 
will  always  remain  with  me  as  one  of  the  redeeming  feat- 
ures of  the  human  race.  Such  exceptions  are  rare — at 
least  I  have  found  them  to  be  so.  But  when  they  are  met 
with  they  leave  an  indelible  mark  upon  one's  life,  and 
change  one's  whole  views  about  this  poor  world  of  ours. 
Perchance,  however,  it  was  a  bad  service  which  Charles 
d'A.  rendered  me;  for  if  he  had  not  saved  me  from 
myself,  I  would  have  long  ago  been  at  rest.  It  chanced 
that  at  that  very  time  my  little  brother  was  attacked 
by  some  infantile  ailment,  and  the  whole  establishment 
was  in  an  uproar  lest  it  should  become  serious.  My 
mother  sat  up  day  and  night  with  untiring  self-forget- 
fulness,  my  kind  Abbe"  had  gone  to  attend  a  dying 
brother,  and  during  that  period,  excepting  for  my  one 
friend  in  need,  I  was  alone.  Old  Gaud,  too,  completely 
shattered  by  the  death  of  her  beloved  nursling — my 
Father — was  so  ill  that  grave  doubts  were  entertained 
as  to  her  recovery. 

The  captain  and  I  wandered  about,  speaking  seldom, 
but  in  thorough  communion  of  thought  and  feeling. 
For  he,  too,  had  loved  my  father  devotedly,  and  owed 
much  to  the  superior  officer  who  had  constantly  be- 
friended him  when  he  first  entered  the  army.  He  was 
paying  his  debt  of  gratitude  now,  capital  and  tenfold 
interest,  by  what  he  did  for  his  erstwhile  chief's  forlorn 
little  child. 

Ten  years  later,  in  the  midst  of  a  brilliant  court  re- 
ception, I  was  told  suddenly  that  Comte  d'A.  had  been 
killed  during  a  skirmish  with  the  Touaregs  in  far-off 
Africa.  Special  mention  was  made  of  him  by  the 
French  ambassador,  who  was  my  informant,  and  also 
of  the  magnificent  bravery  with  which  he  had  sacri- 
ficed his  life  to  save  those  of  many  others. 
F  81 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

"Oh,  God,  this  is  Thy  justice  and  his  reward!"  I 
muttered,  unconsciously,  while  the  old  diplomat  went 
on  talking  about  the  hero  whose  butchered  body  was 
being  brought  back  to  France,  wrapped  in  the  folds  of 
the  tricolor.  My  thoughts  were  echoed  by  His  Excel- 
lency's words :  "  A  fine  death !  The  finest  of  all !  Celle 
d'un  soldat  pour  sa  patrie.  C'&ait  un  brave  I " 

"Oh  yes!  Brave  and  gentle!  Loyal  and  true  to  the 
end!"  I  mused,  and  turned  away  blinded  by  tears, 
sickened  with  the  gay  scene  surrounding  me.  I  could 
not  stay  there,  and  so  went  to  my  own  apartments, 
where  I  could  at  least  mourn  him  in  peace.  How  I 
realized  then — 

"  Le  prix  d'un  cceur  qui  nous  comprend, 
Le  bien  qu'on  trouve  a  le  connaitre, 
Et  ce  qu'on  souffre  en  le  perdant." 


CHAPTER  V 

"  S'il  est  a  vous,  votre  Rhin  allemand, 

Lavez-y  done  votre  livree; 
Mais  parlez-en  moins  fierement. 

Combien,  au  jour  de  la  curee, 
fetiez-vous  de  corbeaux  contre  1'aigle  expirant?" 

I  HAVE  now  come  to  the  turning-point  of  my  exist- 
ence—  an  experience  fraught  with  such  amazement 
and  chagrin  that  at  the  time  it  seemed  to  be  the  great- 
est possible  humiliation,  though  I  see  now,  as  I  look 
back  after  many  years  upon  this  amazing  surprise, 
that  it  had  a  certain  humorous  aspect  in  spite  of  its  bit- 
terness. My  father  had  now  left  us  since  several  weeks, 
and  I  was  still  staggering  under  the  blow  that  had  fallen 
upon  me  with  such  unparalleled  brutality  when  one 
morning  my  mother  summoned  me  to  her  august  pres- 
ence. She  was  sitting — probably  in  order  to  add  to  the 
solemnity  of  the  occasion — in  my  father's  study,  a  room 
so  sacred  to  me  now  that  it  seemed  like  desecration  to 
see  her  occupying  it.  She  had  grown  very  thin  and 
ethereal-looking  of  late,  and  as  I  glanced  at  her  hands, 
stripped  of  all  their  great,  glittering  rings,  I  was  struck 
by  the  transparency  of  her  fingers.  Her  widow's  weeds 
did  not  suit  her  at  all,  and  they  hardened  her  appear- 
ance. With  a  weary  gesture  she  motioned  me  to  take 
a  seat  opposite  her,  and  in  the  same  monotonous  in- 
tonation which  she  had  not  shaken  off  since  her  hus- 
band's death,  she  said : 

"  I  have  sent  for  you  because  the  time  has  come  when 
you  should  be  made  aware  of  the  true  state  of  affairs, 

83 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

as  far  as  you  are  concerned/'  She  paused  as  if  seeking 
for  words,  and  I  gazed  helplessly  at  her,  wondering 
what  new  calamity  was  about  to  overtake  me.  Was 
she  going  to  send  me  to  the  convent,  as  she  had  often 
threatened  to  do  whenever  I  had  been  particularly 
difficult  to  manage  in  the  past?  Leave  Brittany?  I 
never  could  do  that!  For  there  every  nook  and  corner 
was  pregnant  with  memories  which  were  my  only  con- 
solation now,  and  I  resolved  on  the  spur  of  the  moment 
to  shake  myself  together  and  make  a  stand  against 
any  such  arbitrary  measure,  if  she  so  much  as  hinted 
at  it.  Those  few  moments  of  suspense  were  simply 
terrible!  and  I  felt  little  beads  of  perspiration  start  on 
my  forehead  as  I  awaited  sentence. 

"  It  was  your  father's  desire  that  you  should  not  be  told 
what  I  am  about  to  disclose  to  you  until  you  reached 
your  tenth  anniversary,  but  circumstances  have  altered 
that,  and  I  judge  it  to  be  my  duty  to  tell  you  that 
you  are  not  what  you  believe  yourself  to  be,  a  boy,  but 
merely  a  little  girl." 

That  was  funny !  So  funny,  indeed,  that,  in  spite  of 
my  sadness  and  lack  of  spirits,  I  burst  into  a  strident, 
nervous  laugh,  thinking  (t  part  moi  that  my  poor  moth- 
er had  become  suddenly  insane  with  grief,  if  she  were 
not  of  a  truth  joking,  which  seemed  possible,  so  ridicu- 
lous was  her  assertion.  Very  much  shocked,  she  struck 
the  top  of  the  desk  with  her  closed  hand  and  exclaimed, 
angrily  :• 

"Do  you  think  that  I  am  not  serious?  Or  does  your 
habitual  heartlessness  lead  you  to  consider  such  an 
important  question  a  laughing  matter?  and  at  such  a 
moment,  too!  Now  don't  interrupt  me,  and  I  will  tell 
you  how,  when  you  were  born,  your  father's  disappoint- 
ment at  your  not  being  a  son  was  so  profound  that  he 
insisted  on  having  you  brought  up  as  if  you  had  been 

84 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

of  the  right  sex.  I  tried  my  best  to  dissuade  him  from 
so  doing,  but  my  entreaties  were  vain.  Even  when  your 
brother  was  born  I  was  not  allowed  to  tell  you  that  you 
were  occupying  the  position  which  rightfully  belonged 
to  him,  probably  because  it  might  hurt  your  feelings." 

A  wild  rage  had  been  gradually  stealing  over  me, 
and  when  my  mother  concluded  this  strange  revelation 
I  was  absolutely  beside  myself  with  passion.  My  face 
must  have  revealed  as  much,  for  a  restraining  touch 
was  put  on  my  shoulder,  and,  in  stern,  low  tones,  my 
mother  said,  grimly: 

"  None  of  your  mad  pranks,  if  you  please !  Truth  is 
truth,  and  it  had  to  be  told  sooner  or  later.  If  I  had  had 
my  way,  it  would  have  been  sooner.  You  will  be  good 
enough  in  the  future  to  adopt  not  only  the  garments,  but 
also  the  manners,  of  the  sex  to  which  you  belong.  More- 
over, should  I  by  any  chance  hear  or  find  out  that  you 
have  failed  to  obey  my  orders,  I  will  send  you  immedi- 
ately to  a  convent,  and  you  shall  not  leave  it  again 
until  your  marriage,  which  I  intend  to  take  place  as 
soon  as  possible." 

Her  grasp  relaxed,  and  without  a  word  I  rushed  out  of 
the  room,  down  the  stairs  to  the  other  end  of  the  house, 
where  my  Abbe  was  comfortably  ensconced  in  his  private 
sitting-room,  reading  The  Lives  of  the  Saints,  or  some 
other  such  meritorious  work  not  at  any  rate  in  keeping 
with  the  abrupt  appearance  of  a  youthful  demon  like 
myself. 

The  outward  calm  which  I  had  managed  to  preserve 
while  in  my  mother's  presence  now  gave  way,  and 
for  the  first  time  in  my  life  I  was  seized  with  violent  hys- 
terics. It  was  only  later  on,  when  the  combined  efforts 
of  Gaud  and  Monsieur  1'Abbe"  brought  something  like 
comparative  peace  to  my  mind,  that  I  at  last  began 
to  grasp  and  understand  my  mother's  attitude  towards 

85 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

me  since  Bertrand's  advent,  and  the  resentment  with 
which  she  looked  upon  the  innocent  interloper  that 
I  was.  It  took  me  longer  to  become  even  ever  so  slight- 
ly accustomed  to  my  new  estate,  and  I  can  describe 
my  feelings  during  the  following  months  as  nothing 
short  of  a  long-continued  torture,  which  began  when  I 
woke  up  in  the  morning  and  was  only  terminated  by 
sleep. 

The  long  and  short  of  it  was  that  I  felt  ashamed  and 
miserable  beyond  compare.  All  my  dreams  of  heroic 
deeds  in  the  future — of  gay  and  reckless  soldiering, 
of  dashing  sports,  as  well  as  many,  many  other  hopes 
and  ambitions — had  been  destroyed  at  one  fell  stroke. 
When  I  looked  upon  my  puny  little  self  in  the  severe 
mourning  frocks  which  were  so  incongruous,  when 
coupled  with  my  short  locks  and  boyish  manner,  I  wept 
often  savagely  with  disgust  and  fierce  disappointment. 
Was  ever  child  placed  in  such  a  predicament?  I  believe 
not ;  for  a  singularly  manly  spirit  had  been  fostered  in 
me  by  my  father,  and  my  unfortunate  lack  of  affection 
for  my  mother  had  engendered  in  me  so  great  a  dislike 
for  everything  feminine  that  this  sorry  combination  has 
to  this  day  left  its  stamp  upon  my  whole  individuality 
and  character.  I  am  of  an  abnormally  sensitive  turn 
of  mind.  The  idea  of  ridicule  has  always  been  ex- 
quisitely painful  to  me,  and  it  was  that  perhaps  which 
hurt  me  most,  because  I  felt  myself  both  ridiculous 
and  in  a  way  debased.  The  only  title  I  could  claim  now 
was  that  of  a  regular  torn-boy,  for  so  intensely  anxious 
was  I  not  to  show  my  humiliation  and  decheance  that 
I  purposely — perhaps  instinctively — avoided  all  ele- 
gance of  dress  or  grace  of  behavior,  and  when  my  at- 
tendants tried  to  embellish  my  pale,  washed-out  little 
self  with  ribbons  or  trinkets  I  tore  them  off  and  stamped 
upon  them  ferociously.  I  need  not  mention  that  these 

86 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

misdeeds  were  scrupulously  concealed  from  my  mother, 
for  it  was  well  known  by  those  who  surrounded  me 
that  I  need  expect  no  mercy  at  her  hands  if  she  ever 
found  them  out  or  knew  of  the  long  hours  of  rebellion 
which  I  frequently  gave  way  to. 

My  fits  of  rage  were  truly  awful.  Cruel  tears  would 
rise  to  my  eyes,  but  they  were  not  called  forth  by  sorrow 
alone,  and  the  fire  of  anger  scorched  them  as  they  rose. 
I  stamped  my  foot  passionately,  set  my  teeth  as  a  terrier 
does  when  snarling,  and  in  one  word  made  a  regular 
little  beast  of  myself,  lying  flat  on  the  ground  and 
writhing  there  in  agony,  like  some  animal  hurt  to  death. 

I  resumed  most  of  my  habits,  however,  concerning 
outdoor  life  and  sports,  for  our  old  doctor  declared  to 
my  mother  that  any  attempt  at  cooping  me  up  would  re- 
sult in  a  serious  breaking-down  of  my  health.  I  was  there- 
fore allowed,  Heaven  be  praised,  to  ride,  drive,  and  romp, 
as  much  as  I  pleased,  and,  as  my  dear  Abb6  still  contin- 
ued to  superintend  my  education,  I  gradually  became, 
if  not  reconciled,  at  least  a  little  more  accustomed  to 
the  radical  changes  which  had  taken  place  around  me. 

Soon,  moreover,  grave  cares  of  another  nature  befell, 
not  alone  myself,  but  all  the  inmates  of  the  castle,  as 
well  as  the  entire  population  of  France,  for  the  most 
Homeric  war  which  has  been  fought  in  modern  times 
was  about  to  be  begotten  by  the  foolish  ambition  of  a 
woman  and  the  weakness  of  a  man,  who,  broken  by  ill- 
ness and  disappointments  without  number,  did  not 
any  longer  possess  even  that  brilliant  audacity  which 
had  made  it  possible  for  him  to  ascend  the  throne  of 
France.  Every  one  knows  how  that  culpable  and 
imbecile  war  originated  with  the  paltry  excuse  of  a 
German  prince's  candidature  to  the  throne  of  Spain, 
and  ended  in  the  most  cruel  and  pathetic  of  disasters. 

I  well  remember  that  during  that  fateful  summer  of 

87 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

1870  our  peasantry  asserted  that  they  had  received 
from  Heaven  a  sign  of  what  was  to  come.  We  were 
called  out  from  our  little  beds  to  witness  this  extraor- 
dinary manifestation,  which  took  the  form  of  a  ruby- 
red  aurora-borealis,  filling  with  its  scintillating  waves 
the  entire  vault  of  the  midnight  sky.  Wrapped  up 
in  cloaks,  and  held  by  our  attendants  on  the  great  bal- 
cony which  overhung  the  sea,  we  watched  this  surpass- 
ingly beautiful  but  also  strangely  awful  spectacle. 
Little  as  he  was,  and  unable  to  realize  what  he  saw,  Ber- 
trarid  cried  out  with  fear,  and  had  to  be  swiftly  borne 
away,  while  my  mother  coolly  remarked  that  it  was 
good  for  children  to  observe  the  phenomena  of  nature, 
whether  they  liked  it  or  not. 

At  the  outset  of  the  campaign  no  one  in  the  length 
and  breadth  of  Brittany  dreamed  for  an  instant  of  the 
possibility  of  defeat.  "  Ce  que  nous  allons  leur  en  ficher 
une  raclee!"  was  heard  on  all  sides,  and  the  belief  that 
our  ever  -  victorious  army  could  be  vanquished  never 
even  so  much  as  entered  into  any  one's  calculations. 

The  Franco-Prussian  conflict  has  been  described 
so  ably  by  great  writers  that  it  is  not  for  my  paltry  pen 
to  attempt  anything  of  the  kind.  So  I  will  content  my- 
self with  weaving  some  of  its  incidents  into  the  warp  of 
my  own  history,  just  as  I  remember  them,  and  without 
any  desire  whatsoever  to  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  the 
official  or  non-official  chroniclers  of  that  period. 

It  is  almost  useless  to  say  that  all  eyes  were  turned 
towards  the  Rhine,  and  that  the  general  impression 
was  that  the  abhorred  Prussians  would  be  reconducted 
by  our  proud  and  powerful  armies  to  their  own  boun- 
dary-lines at  once.  The  idea  that  these  dark-uniformed, 
machine-made,  beer-drinking  cohorts  could  ever  invade 
our  territory,  conquer  our  cities,  and  crush  our  spirit 
was  too  ridiculous  to  be  considered.  Our  soldiers  had 

88 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

been  victorious  at  Castiglione,  at  Marengo,  at  Wagram, 
at  Austerlitz,  at  Eylau,  at  Ie"na,  at  Friedland,  Liitzen, 
Smolensk,  La  Moskowa,  in  Spain,  in  Africa — every- 
where, in  fact.  Prussia,  Austria,  Russia,  England- 
all  had  been  forced  to  bend  to  our  might  sooner  or  later. 
Why,  then,  should  we  be  defeated  now?  Preposterous! 
The  old  men  who  had  fought  with  the  First  Napoleon 
grunted  beneath  their  white  mustaches,  and,  rubbing 
their  palsied  hands  together,  declared  that  ces  sales 
Prussiens  would  regret  forever  and  aye  the  day  when 
they  once  again  attempted  to  pit  their  negligible 
strength  against  our  all-conquering  power.  With  hur- 
rahs and  cries  of  triumph  our  soldiers  departed,  fancy- 
ing themselves  already  covered  with  imaginary  laurels, 
and  waving  above  their  heads  the  glorious  old  flags 
glittering  with  the  names  of  the  countless  victories 
won  in  the  present  and  the  past  by  us. 

The  news  of  MacMahon's  disaster  at  Froschweiler, 
of  Frossard's  at  Spickeren,  was  at  first  not  only  disbe- 
lieved wholly,  but  also  ridiculed.  MacMahon  beaten! 
That  could  not  be!  Nobody  seemed  to  take  into  con- 
sideration that  his  small  corps  had  of  a  truth  accom- 
plished prodigies  of  valor,  but  had  been,  alas!  over- 
whelmed by  the  brute  force  of  an  entire  army.  But 
when  the  Bretons  finally  comprehended  and  assimilated 
the  fact  that  despised  Prussia  had  scored,  there  was 
such  an  explosion  of  hatred  against  the  victors  and 
against  the  "  Francs  " — as  the  rest  of  the  French  popula- 
tion is  designated  by  all  true  Bretons — those  Francs 
who  had  allowed  themselves  to  be  thrashed  and  routed — 
that  no  pen  can  portray  the  state  of  frenzy  into  which 
the  whole  country-side  was  thrown.  Execrations  with- 
out number  were  launched  at  the  heads  of  "  incompetent 
chiefs,"  and  every  man,  woman,  and  child  swore  that 
the  shame  must  be  avenged,  and  this  indignity  which 

89 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

had  been  put  upon  the  grandest  people  in  the  world 
be  washed  away  in  oceans  of  blood  before  the  children 
of  France  could  again  draw  an  honest  breath. 

When  the  Prussians  crossed  the  Rhine,  when  at  last 
it  dawned  upon  the  simple-hearted  peasants  and  fisher- 
folks  that  the  entire  nation  was  hurrying  towards  total 
ruin,  a  sort  of  prostrated  stupor  replaced  the  rage  of 
the  first  days,  and  Napoleon  III.,  as  well  as  his  consort, 
became  the  scapegoats  upon  whom  torrents  of  bitterest 
and  rancorous  abuse  were  poured. 

The  Breton  is  essentially  monarchical  in  his  beliefs, 
and  the  reign  of  the  Third  Napoleon  never  was  kindly 
looked  upon  by  them.  Indeed,  at  the  time  of  his  mar- 
riage to  Mile,  de  Montijo,  there  was  a  universal  outcry 
against  so  great  a  forfeiture,  and  when  upon  several 
occasions  the  sovereign  put  his  foot  on  Breton  soil  his 
reception  was  of  the  coldest  not  to  say  of  the  most  re- 
pellent nature.  The  stanch  and  faithful  heart  of  this 
ancient  people  was  centred  on  the  King — Le  Roy — 
as  they  designated  Henri  V. ,  Comte  de  Chambord,  the 
hermit  of  Froshdorff — the  last  of  a  long  line  of  glorious 
monarchs. 

Napoleon,  the  usurper,  the  perjurer,  the  adventurer, 
who,  according  to  many,  was  not  even  distantly  related 
to  that  greatest  of  modern  generals,  Napoleon  I.,  filled 
them  with  disgust  and  with  a  feeling  of  distrust  which 
nothing  could  appease.  And  if,  during  the  eighteen 
years  of  his  successful  reign,  he  was  an  object  of  such 
dislike,  it  can  readily  be  imagined  what  sentiments  he 
inspired  when  he  lost  his  crown,  ruined  his  country, 
and  surrendered  his  tarnished  and  useless  sword  to 
the  King  of  Prussia,  and  was  despatched  with  some  of 
his  innumerable  fourgons  and  tinsel-coated  retinue  to 
the  castle  of  Wilhelmshohe,  a  disgraced  and  dishonored 
prisoner  of  war. 

90 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

Bah!  even  now  it  makes  me  shudder  to  recall  the 
sensation  of  positive  nausea  which  overwhelmed  my 
little  childish  being  when  I  was  told  that  the  army  in 
which  my  father  had  served,  and  his  ancestors  before 
him,  had  sustained  a  reverse  so  grim  and  so  final  that 
no  effort — be  it  ever  so  magnificent — that  no  bravery — 
be  it  ever  so  complete — could  ever  quite  efface  the  stain 
which  darkened  its  'scutcheon. 

I  will  remember  to  my  dying  day  that  tragic  winter — 
so  cold,  so  severe — when  even  in  our  balmy  seclusion, 
where  roses,  myrtles,  and  violets  usually  blossom  from 
November  to  November,  we  felt  the  grip  of  frost  and  the 
bite  of  searching,  snow -laden  winds;  while  dun-hued 
fogs  enshrouded  the  bay,  and  seemed  to  drop  like  a  veil 
of  mourning  over  both  land  and  sea.  How  pitiful,  how 
pathetic  the  long  evenings  were  nowl  They  began 
at  five  in  the  afternoon,  and  we  sat  huddled  around 
blazing  fires,  with  saddened  countenances  and  sorrow- 
ful hearts.  Descriptions  of  bloody  battles  were  read 
aloud  to  us  by  the  Abb£,  who  could  scarcely  repress 
his  indignation  and  emotion.  Had  it  not  been  for  my 
sake,  indeed,  he  would  have  joined  the  army  as  a  chap- 
lain long  before  that.  My  uncles,  my  cousins,  all  our 
masculine  relatives  and  friends,  were  serving  their  coun- 
try, and  more  than  once  their  names  appeared  upon  the 
list  of  those  marts  au  champ  d'honneur. 

After,  the  incredible  number  of  wounded  which  lit- 
tered the  gore -soaked  soil  of  poor  old  France,  and 
for  whose  accommodation  the  public  and  private  field- 
hospitals  hastily  established  everywhere  were  inade- 
quate, were  transported  to  the  four  corners  of  our 
dismantled  country,  and  we  too,  thank  God,  received 
our  share  of  this  eagerly  sought  burden.  The  "  Gran- 
ger ie,"  the  picture-gallery,  and  many  a  lofty  salon 
and  reception-room,  were  transformed  into  ambulances 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

militaires,  where  rows  of  little  white  beds  held  wounded 
heroes,  bruised,  and  battered,  and  maimed  during  the 
turmoil  of  battle.  My  mother,  assisted  by  my  grand- 
mother, my  aunts,  and  the  numerous  members  of  our 
household,  nursed  these  fallen  soldiers  by  day  and  by 
night  with  faithful  devotion.  There  I  served  my  ap- 
prenticeship as  a  nurse,  and  what  little  knowledge  I 
may  have  then  gathered  of  that  most  glorious  of  all 
sciences — namely,  the  relief  of  human  suffering — has 
stood  me  in  good  stead  later  on.  From  the  first  I  felt 
that  I  was  in  my  element.  Soft-footed  and  noiseless 
as  a  mouse,  I  crept  between  those  dolorous  couches  with- 
out any  feeling  of  repulsion  at  the  horrors  I  daily  wit- 
nessed. As  a  precautionary  measure  against  con- 
tagion from  the  fever  cases,  I  was  clad  in  white  linen, 
like  a  diminutive  Sister  of  Mercy,  and  my  hair,  which, 
much  to  my  despair,  was  beginning  to  grow  long,  was 
completely  tucked  away  under  a  prim  little  cap  shaped 
very  much  like  that  of  a  nun.  This  won  for  me  the 
surname  of  la  Petite  Religieuse,  though  I  trust  and 
sincerely  hope  that  the  sacred  habit  of  a  real  religious 
never  served  as  a  blind  to  conceal  so  hot-headed,  unruly 
a  creature  as  I  was  then. 

My  ever  turbulent  and  untamed  nature  absolutely 
writhed  under  the  fearful  humiliations  suffered  by  my 
country.  Extremely  precocious,  thanks  to  the  awful 
events  through  which  I  had  passed  in  rapid  succession 
during  the  last  months,  I  felt  the  shame  of  it  all  with  as 
much  acuteness  as  any  grown-up  person  might  have 
done — nay,  as  had  I  myself  been  a  disarmed  and  dis- 
graced soldier,  and,  in  my  fits  of  impotent  fury,  I  went 
so  far  sometimes  as  to  thank  Almightj7  God  for  having 
recalled  to  him  my  dear  father  before  this  heart-breaking 
and  supreme  experience  of  boundless  patriotic  distress  be- 
came his.  Yet  my  faith  in  him  was  ever  so  great  that  I 

92 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A  PRINCESS 

could  not  help  feeling  that  had  he  lived  matters  would 
have  been  different.  How  he  would  have  fought! 
Surely  he  would  have  known  how  to  meet  the  supreme 
difficulties  of  such  a  situation.  I  used  to  picture  him  to 
myself  rallying  about  him  the  demoralized  troops,  cheer- 
ing and  encouraging  them  by  his  own  noble  example, 
and  flying  with  them  at  the  very  throat  of  the  dismayed 
enemy. 

The  rendition  of  Sedan,  that  of  Metz,  the  alleged 
treason  of  Marshal  Bazaine,  the  siege  of  Paris,  and 
that  horror  of  horrors,  the  Commune ;  when  drunk  with 
blood  and  shame  brother  devoured  brother,  and  French- 
man killed  Frenchman,  amid  a  blaze  of  murderous 
flames  and  the  crash  of  historical  monuments,  followed 
upon  each  other  like  the  varying  and  ever-growing  ter- 
rors of  a  nightmare,  leaving  us  palpitating  with  anguish 
and  almost  cursing  the  day  when  we  were  born. 

Our  villages  were  peopled  now  only  by  weeping,  wail- 
ing, sable-clad  women,  who  all  had  lost  either  a  husband, 
a  son,  a  father,  or  a  brother.  The  crushing  debt  of  five 
milliards  owing  to  the  Germans  before  they  consented 
to  evacuate  our  territory,  was  but  yet  another  martyr- 
dom inflicted  upon  us,  and  yet  this  amazing  sum  of 
money  was  paid,  paid  to  the  last  sou,  by  a  people  fallen, 
it  is  true,  from  their  once  so  high  estate,  but  yet  in  a 
measure  rehabilitated  by  their  absolute  surrender  of 
all  that  which  they  could  surrender,  in  order  to  liberate 
France. 

The  nobles  and  country  magnates  crippled  themselves, 
sadly  drawing  to  the  uttermost  limit  upon  their  ex- 
chequers ;  the  peasants  mortgaged  their  fields  and  sold 
their  harvests  before  they  ripened;  while  the  highest 
ladies  of  the  land  pawned  their  jewels  and  gave  up  all 
display  of  luxury,  regretting  only  that  they  could  do 
so  little  when  they  saw  the  humble  peasant  girls  and 

93 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

the  poor  fishermen's  wives  cutting  their  luxuriant 
tresses  as  if  they  had  suddenly  been  stricken  by  the 
plague,  in  order  to  add  what  little  gold  they  thus  ob- 
tained to  the  glittering  treasures  which  the  relentless 
Prussians  so  greedily  demanded.  So  absolute  and 
general  was  this  feeling  of  utter  devotion  to  a  beloved 
country  in  its  dire  hour  of  need,  so  naturallj7  did  it  come 
to  us,  that  it  was  without  a  murmur  that  I  saw  the 
racing-stud  which  my  father  had  so  loved  pass  into  the 
hands  of  English  dealers,  and  his  yacht,  the  beautiful, 
exquisitely  graceful  Ichtis,  sold  to  a  wealthy  Spaniard, 
who  looked  to  me  as  if  he  were  made  of  chocolate,  with 
his  round,  lustreless  eyes,  his  swarthy  skin,  and  his 
brown,  curly  beard — which  as  much  as  anything  else 
made  me  detest  him. 

"C'est  pour  la  patrie,  mon  p&it  Enfant,"  whispered 
my  grandmother,  when  she  noticed  that  my  eyes  were 
brimful  of  tears,  and  that  my  chest  was  heaving  with 
a  sorrow  almost  too  profound  to  be  kept  under  restraint. 

"Pour  la  patrie" — that  explained  and  made  every- 
thing possible  at  that  moment.  Every  drop  of  our  blood 
would  we  willingly  have  shed  to  efface  the  pity  of  it  all, 
and  to  have  known  that  France  could  once  again  hold 
up  her  head  as  in  the  proud  and  cloudless  years  when 
she  had  been  Reine  et  Maitresse. 

Seven  years  later  I  reassumed  temporarily  the  role  of 
military  nurse  at  the  opposite  extremity  of  Europe,  and 
went  through  many  days  of  terrible  strain  and  fatigue 
in  ambulance  tents,  where  fresh  blood  was  flowing  and 
where  the  stricken  men  which  we  tended  were  carried 
from  the  battle-field  still  throbbing  with  life  and  en- 
thusiasm under  their  torn,  powder-smeared  uniforms. 
What  a  different  spectacle  was  that  of  the  Castle  "  In- 
firmerie,"  permeated  by  the  fever  of  old  wounds,  filled 
with  the  moaning  of  delirious  patients,  who  often  wept 

94 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

like  little  children  in  helpless  despair  at  their  own  weak- 
ness and  uselessness  while  the  enemy  yet  remained 
unrepulsed  and  defiled  our  fairest  provinces.  Ex- 
hausted, almost  collapsed,  looking  more  like  skeletons 
than  like  human  beings,  with  their  white,  cadaverous 
visages  and  their  sleepless  eyes,  they  made  up  a  picture 
of  nerve-shaking  misery  in  spite  of  the  care  with  which 
they  were  surrounded,  the  freshly  gathered  flowers 
placed  each  day  at  their  bed-heads,  the  snowy  linen  of 
their  sheets  and  pillows,  and  the  roaring,  merry  fires, 
kept  up  continuously,  not  only  to  warm  but  to  purify  the 
air  which  they  breathed. 

We  were  very  proud  of  our  different  wards,  especially 
of  the  one  which  had  been  organized  in  the  "  Orangerie." 
The  great  big  golden -fruited,  white -blossomed  trees, 
rising  from  huge  square  majolica  tubs,  sufficed  in  them- 
selves to  adorn  the  place  and  make  it  cheery  and  at- 
tractive to  our  patients.  There  were  very  few  blossoms 
on  these  trees,  so  few,  indeed,  that  their  perfume  could 
in  no  wise  interfere  with  the  salubrity  of  the  place;  there- 
fore, much  to  my  joy,  they  were  not  ordered  to  be  re- 
moved by  the  attending  physicians. 

Before  I'annee  terrible  I  had  never  seen  death,  and 
all  painful  spectacles  had  been  spared  me,  so  that  my 
first  experience  in  this  respect  was  a  deep  and  lasting 
shock.  Fortunately  the  first  time  that  I  saw  a  spirit 
pass  away  in  that  luxurious  little  hospital  of  ours,  it 
happened  to  be  under  the  most  favorable  circumstances 
— if  one  may  so  express  one's  self — for  it  was  that  of  a 
young  and  remarkably  handsome  soldier  who  died 
without  a  murmur,  just  as  had  he  fallen  asleep,  and 
whose  beautifully  chiselled  features  immediately  as- 
sumed that  unutterable  look  of  peace  and  supernatural 
content  which  is  sometimes  met  with  on  the  countenances 
of  those  who  leave  this  sad  world  of  ours  before  they  have 

95 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

had  the  occasion  to  empty  to  the  dregs  the  bitterness  of 
its  cup.  Indeed,  ever  since  that  day  death  appeared  to  me 
in  the  guise  of  an  all-powerful  soother,  and  of  a  friend, 
much  more  than  in  that  of  an  enemy.  It  served  to  make 
me  realize  also  that  when  my  Abbe  told  me  that  my  father 
was  now  at  rest  and  happier  than  he  could  ever  have  been 
on  earth,  the  worthy  old  man  was  speaking  the  truth. 
There  was  consolation  in  that  thought,  although  it  was 
tinged  always  with  the  regret  that  for  once  that  dear 
father  of  mine  had  been  selfish  in  not  allowing  me  to 
share  that  grand,  enviable  peace,  and  had  left  me  be- 
hind, unloved  and  misunderstood  by  those  whose  duty 
it  should,  it  seemed  to  me,  have  been  to  cherish  me  all 
the  more,  since  I  had  lost  my  all. 

Such  beings  as  was  my  father  leave  after  them  an 
eternal  remembrance  and  an  ineffaceable  impress  upon 
the  existence  of  those  who  have  loved  them.  Up  to  this 
day,  during  a  career  of  much  variation  of  feeling  and  of 
country,  it  has  only  been  my  fortune  to  meet  with  three 
creatures  who  seemed  to  have  been  made  by  Almighty 
God  with  a  special  care  and  for  a  special  purpose,  whose 
qualities  so  far  outnumbered  their  failings  that  the 
latter  entirely  disappeared  and  gave  merely  the  impres- 
sion of  those  dainty  transparent  shadows  which  one 
observes  in  Corot's  finest  pictures,  a  mere  veil  over  yet 
more  beauty.  Two  of  these  Gtres  d'election  have 
gone  before :  one  was  my  father,  the  other  my  Em- 
press. About  the  third  I  will  be  silent,  excepting  for  the 
fact  of  venturing  to  hope  that  during  the  many  years 
which,  please  God,  will  be  his  upon  earth,  he  will  realize 
what  boundless  power  a  truly  pure,  earnest,  and  cour- 
ageous spirit  can  wield  over  our  ever-struggling,  sin- 
ning, and  suffering  humanity. 

"  J'ai  vu  sous  le  soleil  tomber  bien  d'autres  choses 
Que  les  feuilles  des  bois  et  1'ecume  des  eaux, 
96 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

Bien  d'autres  s'en  aller  que  le  parfum  des  roses 
Et  le  chant  des  oiseaux! 

"Mes  yeux  ont  contempl6  des  objets  plus  funebres 

Que  Juliette  morte  au  fond  de  son  tombeau, 
Plus  affreux  que  le  toast  a  1'ange  des  tenebres. 
Porte  par  Romeo. 

"La  foudre  maintenant  peut  tomber  sur  ma  t£te 

Jamais  ce  souvenir  ne  peut  m'etre  arrach6; 
Comme  le  matelot  bris6  par  la  temp£te. 
Je  m'y  tiens  attache1." 


CHAPTER  VI 

"  I  am  sick  of  the  hall  and  the  hill,  I  am  sick  of  the  moor  and  the 

main! 

Why  should  I  stay?  can  a  sweeter  chance  ever  come  to  me  here? 
Oh,  having  the  nerves  of  motion,  as  well  as  the  nerves  of  pain, 
Were  it  not  wise  if  I  fled  from  the  place  and  the  pit,  and  the  fear?" 

THIS  Franco-Prussian  campaign,  upon  which  I  have 
lightly  touched  in  the  preceding  chapter,  was  in  a  meas- 
ure a  welcome  truce  in  my  strained  relations  towards  my 
mother.  Every  mind  was  so  taken  up  during  that  time 
with  the  woes  of  France  that  personal  matters  dwindled 
into  nothingness;  but,  alas!  as  soon  as  our  existence 
regained  its  ordinary  placid  course,  like  a  torrent  tem- 
porarily imprisoned  by  ice  and  suddenly  freed  from  all 
restraint,  the  sad  strife,  so  unfilial,  in  spite  of  the  fact 
that  it  was  concealed  by  great  outward  marks  of  respect 
on  my  side,  and  by  apparent  parental  solicitude  on  hers, 
broke  out  with  renewed  vigor. 

"  C'est  fini,  nous  ne  nous  comprendrons  jamais!"  I 
often  mused.  And  although  at  that  time  if  my  mother 
had  softened  towards  me  in  the  slightest  degree  I  would 
have  eagerly  responded  to  her  advances,  her  con- 
stant severity,  her  perpetual  nagging — a  very  trite 
word,  but  there  is  no  better  to  describe  her  ceaseless 
fault-finding  whenever  I  was  in  her  presence — repelled 
me  more  and  more,  and  drove  me  often  to  positive  des- 
peration. 

It  is  but  seemly  that  I  should  here  confess  the  fact — 
if  it  be  of  any  interest — that  I  was  endued  with  an  ex- 
traordinarily exasperating  turn  of  mind  myself,  and 

98 


NO    LONGER    PIERROT,    BUT   MARGUERITE  ! 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

that  the  tact  and  patience  required  to  tame  such  a  nature 
as  mine  is  hardly  ever  to  be  found  on  this  earth,  and  can 
only  be  replaced  by  a  deep  and  all-conquering  love. 
When  such  qualities  are  united,  as  they  were  in  my 
father,  the  result  is  strangely  perfect,  but  otherwise  a 
situation  of  this  sort  is  liable  to  increase  in  difficulty  as 
time  goes  on. 

The  very  thought  that  I  was  now  expected  to  behave 
like  a  little  girl,  decorously  and  in  a  perfectly  maid- 
enly fashion,  was  more  than  sufficient  to  goad  me  on  to 
the  most  execrable  displays  of  boyish  daring.  How 
I  escaped  with  my  life  is  really  amazing,  for  I  was  never 
so  entirely  happy  as  when  climbing  the  most  dangerous 
portions  of  the  cliffs,  going  out  alone  in  stormy  weather 
in  my  cockle  -  shell  of  a  sailing  -  boat  —  which,  I  must 
say,  I  managed  quite  ably — or  riding  barebacked  those 
of  the  horses  that  had  not  been  thoroughly  exercised, 
and  consequently  most  resented  my  attempts  at  curb- 
ing their  will. 

Once  a  rather  typical  incident  occurred,  under  the 
following  circumstances:  Shortly  before  his  death, 
my  father  had  given  me  a  very  pretty  jardiniere  of 
Roman  pottery,  containing  a  beautiful  double  ca- 
mellia, the  faintly  pink,  velvety  blossoms  of  which 
were  a  delight  to  me.  This  jardiniere  stood  on  the 
broad  ledge  of  my  bedroom  window,  and  I  treasured  it 
almost  above  all  other  things  in  my  possession.  One 
morning  the  woman  who  was  in  charge  of  the  sweeping 
in  my  part  of  the  castle  unfortunately  knocked  it  down 
with  her  broom-handle,  smashing  both  pot  and  plant 
into  pieces  on  the  tessellated  floor.  I  happened  upon 
the  scene  at  that  very  moment,  and  so  great  was  my 
rage  that,  although  I  was  invariably  polite,  nay,  even 
affectionate,  to  all  those  faithful  old  servants  of  ours,  I 
flew  at  the  culprit,  whose  name  was  La  Cognate, 

99 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

and,  shaking  her  violently,  showered  upon  her  a  vol- 
ley of  epithets  the  only  merit  of  which  was  their  ex- 
treme expressiveness  and  pointed  application.  Ter- 
ror-stricken, the  poor  little  peasant-woman  entreated 
me  to  forgive  her,  but  I  raved  on  with  such  passion  that 
she  might  as  well  have  been  talking  to  the  wall  for  all 
the  effect  which  she  produced.  In  the  midst  of  this 
pleasant  little  colloquy  my  mother  entered  the  room, 
and  stood  for  a  few  seconds  literally  rooted  to  the  spot 
in  the  extremity  of  her  surprise. 

As  she  declared  afterwards,  she  could  not  believe  her 
eyes  when  she  saw  a  child  of  hers  demean  itself  in  so 
shameless  a  way,  and  she  instantly  demanded  that  I 
should  go  down  on  my  knees  before  the  weeping  Bre- 
tonne  and  crave  her  pardon.  I  need  not  state — for  I  am 
sure  by  this  time  that  it  is  useless  to  explain  what  man- 
ner of  a  devil  frequently  raved  within  me — that  I  flatly 
refused  to  obey,  even  when  I  was  given  the  ultimatum 
of  complying  with  my  mother's  request  or  of  being 
locked  up  in  my  room  on  a  delectable  diet  of  bread  and 
water  until  I  "  came  to  my  senses. " 

Had  somebody  at  that  minute  been  shrewd  enough 
to  point  out  to  me  the  odium  of  my  conduct  and  the 
injustice  thereof,  all  would  have  yet  gone  well,  but, 
instead  of  that,  fuel  was  added  to  the  flames,  when 
my  mother  contemptuously  ordered  La  Cognate  to 
throw  away  the  remnants  of  my  treasure — bruised 
leaves,  buds,  pottery,  and  all  "rubbish,"  she  called 
them,  just  as  I  was  snatching  them  from  the  ground, 
with  the  idea  of  preserving  them  like  relics.  This  was 
too  much ! 

I  set  my  teeth,  clinched  my  fists,  and  remained  stonily 
obdurate  to  all  objurgations,  until  at  last,  after  going, 
when  left  to  myself,  through  a  period  of  absolutely  dis- 
proportionate despair — when  compared  to  the  misfort- 

100 


THE  TRIBULATIONS    OF   A   PRINCESS 

une  to  which  I  had  been  subjected — I  lay  panting  on 
the  floor,  sobbing  piteously,  with  a  vague  intention 
rising  in  my  mind  of  putting  an  end  to  everything  by 
jumping  out  of  the  window  on  to  the  rocks  below. 

Slowly  and  wearily  the  hours  dragged  along.  I 
tried  to  read  and  to  look  at  pictures,  but  I  could  not  fix 
my  attention,  and  when  at  six  o'clock  my  mother  her- 
self brought  me  my  pittance,  and  commanded  me  to 
go  to  bed,  I  was  reduced  for  the  first  time  in  my  life  to 
downright  sullenness. 

Tired  out  with  weeping,  I  finally  fell  asleep,  but  woke 
up  when  the  moon,  then  at  its  full,  flooded  the  room  with 
its  bright  rays.  It  was  past  two  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
and  my  misery  returned  to  me  with  such  a  rush  of  in- 
dignant feeling  that  I  decided,  on  the  spur  of  the  mo- 
ment, to  display  the  contempt  which  I  felt  for  the  treat- 
ment I  had  received.  Suiting  the  action  to  the  thought, 
I  dressed  myself  quickly  and  silently,  and,  throwing 
open  the  casement  of  one  of  my  windows,  I  looked  down 
the  sheer  ivy-covered  wall  which  overhung  the  pleasure- 
ground  by  some  sixty  feet.  The  ivy  was  so  ancient 
that  its  trunk  was  thicker  than  my  arm  and  as  strong 
as  a  steel  cable.  Hastily  I  resolved  to  make  good  my 
escape  by  means  of  it.  I  stuffed  the  pockets  of  my 
reefer- jacket  with  the  bread  brought  for  my  dinner,  and 
which  had  remained  untouched  on  the  table,  then  I 
proceeded  to  pack  a  small  haversack  with  a  suit  of 
boy's  clothes  and  different  other  things  I  greatly  prized. 
When  this  was  done  I  stole  on  tip-toe  into  the  room 
which  had  been  my  father's,  and,  standing  on  a  long 
divan,  I  detached  from  the  wall  a  broad-bladed  hunt- 
ing-knife, which  I  buckled  around  my  waist. 

Strange  to  say,  all  these  preparations  cheered  me 
wonderfully,  my  despair  and  sadness  had  flown  as  if 
by  magic,  and  as  I  went  about  them  I  began  to  hum 

101 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

softly  to  myself  some  snatches  of  the  "Complainte  de 
Saumur,"  which  my  father  had  often  sung  in  the  dear, 
merry  days  of  yore. 

"  Un  jour  de  cuite 

Et  de  pituite 
Tupin,  la-haut,  etait  tout  attriste, 

Car  dans  1'Olympe, 

Quand  on  y  grimpe, 
On  n'trouve  pas  toujours  de  la  galte!" 

The  sound  of  a  creaking  wainscoting  made  me  pause, 
and  I  looked  about,  praying  in  my  heart  that  no  one 
should  hear  me.  All  was  silent  again,  so  silent  that  I 
distinctly  perceived  the  rustling  of  the  night  wind  in 
the  great  ivy.  I  jumped  from  the  divan  to  the  floor, 
and  began  to  lace  my  tall  gaiter-like  boots,  resuming 
my  song  as  if  nothing  out  of  the  way  was  on  my  mind. 
I  rattled,  in  a  subdued  tone,  through  the  eleven  coup- 
lets, and  when  I  reached  the  last — 

"  Prends  mon  aumone, 

Car  je  m'abonne, 
Et  veux  agir  en  vrai  sous-officier, 

Hippologie ! 

Viens,  ma  ch6rie! 
Avec  Venus  je  vais  t'etudier!" 

At  last  I  was  ready  to  go,  but  unfortunately  the 
familiar  words  of  the  "Complainte"  had  once  more 
changed  my  mood.  I  had  so  often  laughed  heartily  at 
this  queer  ditty,  although  I  did  not  understand  the 
sense  of  it  all,  that  my  present  desolation  and  horrible 
loneliness  contrasted  cruelly  with  the  fun  and  frolic  that 
had  disappeared  forever  from  my  life. 

The  huge  room  was  bathed  in  moonlight,  the  toilet- 
table,  with  its  glitter  of  gold  and  of  silver,  its  large  mir- 
ror, and  the  famous  blue-velvet  Christmas  pin-cushion 

102 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

(which,  rejected  by  my  fastidious  mother,  had  been  an- 
nexed by  my  father,  who  told  me  subsequently  that  he 
liked  it  because  I  had  selected  it)  stood  out  from  the 
dark  wall  as  clearly  as  had  it  been  midday. 

Suddenly  I  caught  sight  of  a  life-size  portrait  of  my 
father,  painted  when  still  in  the  army,  and  at  that  time 
a  dashing  young  officer.  The  soft,  silvery  effulgence 
pouring  in  through  the  casements  enfolded  the  superb 
work  of  art  in  such  a  way  that  the  tall,  soldierly  figure, 
the  handsome  face,  so  perfectly  modelled,  the  long  mus- 
taches, and  especially  the  glorious  eyes,  gave  me  the 
impression  of  absolute  reality.  Step  by  step  I  drew 
nearer,  gazing  passionately  and  with  rapt  adoration  at 
the  picture. 

Why  did  he  not  speak  to  me?  Why  was  he  so  im- 
movable, so  distant? 

"Papa,"  I  murmured,  in  an  awe-struck  whisper, 
"  dear,  dear  papa,  speak  to  me !  C'est  Pierrot  qui  est  Id,, 
et  &  qui  vous  manquez  tant  I  Pierrot,  qui  vous  adore  et 
qui  ne  peut  pas  vivre  sans  vous!" 

But  the  calm,  determined  face  remained  motionless, 
the  eyes,  supernaturally  brilliant  and  large,  did  not 
smile  at  me,  and,  with  a  sob  of  unutterable  anguish 
rising  in  my  throat,  I  fled  from  the  room  as  if  I  had 
been  pursued  by  furies. 

He  did  not  answer  me!  He  was  gone  forever  from 
his  own  little  boy,  so  why  should  I  remain  in  that  place, 
which  knew  him  no  more?  In  an  instant,  however,  I 
collected  my  wits,  and,  securely  fastening  my  knapsack 
to  my  back,  after  mechanically  crossing  myself — a  sol- 
dier cannot  pray  very  long  when  the  trumpet  calls — I 
clambered  over  the  window-sill,  and,  clutching  the  ivy 
with  fingers  and  knees,  I  began  my  perilous  descent.  I 
never  glanced  to  right  or  to  left,  and,  skilled  in  cliff- 
climbing,  I  especially  avoided  looking  downwards,  for 

103 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

the  sight  of  the  void  beneath  would,  I  knew,  render  the 
task  a  more  difficult  one  yet. 

It  seemed  as  though  I  was  very  close  to  the  dark- 
blue  sky,  where  the  stars  sparkled  brightly.  One  false 
move,  and  then  there  would  be  a  headlong  rush,  and 
silence  forever!  Who  would  care?  I  thought,  excepting 
dear  little  Bertrand,  who  was  yet  too  little  to  sorrow 
deeply  at  the  loss  of  his  clandestine  playfellow,  and  my 
old  Abbe",  who  often  said : 

"La  mort  n'est  pas  une    porte    qui  se    ferme,  c'est    une   porte 

qui  s'ouvre. 
La  vie  presente  est  6clair6e  par  la  vie  future." 

Such  thoughts  travel  swiftly  at  similar  moments,  and, 
while  clinging  like  a  swallow  to  my  slender  hold  upon 
the  grim  old  wall,  I  reflected  that  he  would  think  me  hap- 
pier dead  than  alive,  and  as  to  Gaud — well,  she  was  so 
near  the  Great  Gates  herself  she  would  not  mourn  for 
long.  A  flight  of  pigeons,  disturbed  by  the  shaking 
of  the  venerable  ivy,  flew  upward  with  a  startling 
whirl  of  silky  wings,  and  circled  bewilderingly  above 
my  head,  frightened  and  distressed.  My  foot  slipped ; 
a  second  more  and  I  would  have  been  precipitated  from 
the  yet  dizzy  height — for  I  was  barely  half-way  down — 
but  I  recovered  myself  with  the  promptitude  of  a  sailor, 
or  a  squirrel,  and  before  I  had  even  realized  the  great- 
ness of  the  danger  I  was  standing  firmly  on  the  turf, 
safe  and  sound,  without  as  much  as  a  scratch  or  a  bruise. 

Cautiously  I  made  my  way  towards  the  stables ;  the 
two  watch-dogs,  Romulus  and  Remus,  who  prowled 
about  all  night,  came  bounding  towards  me  over  the 
grass,  but  they  had  scented  me,  and  did  not  make  a 
sound.  Their  joy  at  this  unexpected  meeting  took 
the  form  of  enormous  leaps  and  jumps,  then  they  fol- 
lowed me  like  two  gigantic  tame  lions,  until  I  came  to  the 

104 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

iron  railing  enclosing  the  paddock.  To  enter  the  main 
stable  was  quite  out  of  the  question,  for  this  would  have 
aroused  the  men,  but  in  a  small,  separate  building — 
an  old  tower — in  fact — Buc6phale,  "the  pink  horse/'  as 
we  called  him,  lived  in  solitary  state.  He  was  im- 
mensely large  and  unusually  powerful,  cream  in  color, 
with  a  faint  suggestion  of  strawberry  about  his  coat, 
mane,  and  tail — un  cheval  &  crins  laves,  as  they  say 
in  France.  The  head  was  large,  heavy,  with  broad 
but  tapering  ears,  moreover  he  was  well  ribbed -up, 
had  fine  shoulders  and  an  immense  girth  and  loins. 
But  he  was  ungainly  to  a  degree  courting  ridicule, 
and  so  he  remained  in  durance  vile,  nearly  always  out 
of  sight,  except  when  the  under-gardeners  needed  his 
enormous  strength  to  drag  their  ponderous  carts  about 
or  to  haul  timber  or  stones.  Moreover,  Buce"phale's 
temper  was  not  an  easy  or  an  agreeable  one;  per- 
haps the  consciousness  of  his  own  homeliness  made 
him  restive ;  but,  be  this  as  it  may,  certainly  he  inspired 
all  who  approached  him  with  boundless  distrust.  I 
alone  had  a  sort  of  sneaking  affection  for  him,  and  often 
brought  him  carrots  and  apples  in  his  solitary  prison, 
climbing  into  the  manger  to  put  myself  on  easier  equal- 
ity with  him. 

Fleet  as  an  antelope,  I  now  ran  to  the  old  tower,  actu- 
ated to  speed  by  a  fury  of  resistless  goading.  Swiftly 
as  a  swallow  darts,  I  rushed  into  the  dark  stable,  un- 
loosed the  horse's  halter,  climbed  upon  his  broad  back, 
and  in  another  five  minutes,  having  walked  him  noise- 
lessly over  the  sward,  I  was  off  at  full  gallop,  scattering 
shreds  of  the  early  morning  mist,  as  I  went  on  my  breath- 
less way,  to  right  and  left.  I  rode  straight  through  the 
park,  keeping  to  the  grassy  borders  of  the  paths,  for  fear 
of  being  heard.  It  was  a  good  thing  for  me  that  I  had 
been  tossed  upon  a  horse  from  my  earliest  years,  for 

105 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

Buce'phale,  going  venire  &  terre,  was  not  an  easy  mount 
to  stick  to,  but  I  never  swerved,  and  clung  to  him 
like  a  monkey.  Soon  I  passed  out  of  the  park  through 
a  gap  in  the  most  ancient  portion  of  the  mediaeval  walls 
— a  sort  of  dismantled  postern,  draping  its  worn  sides 
under  cascades  of  luxuriant  ivy  and  honeysuckle — 
and  swept  on  to  the  weird,  deserted  Landes,  heading 
towards  the  left  side  of  the  promontory  on  which  the 
castle  is  built.  I  saw  nothing  as  I  dashed  onward,  ex- 
cept that  Buce'phale  was  reeking  with  smoke  and  foam, 
and  that  I  must  speedily  check  him  or  else  founder  him. 
The  rapidity  of  my  flight  was  telling  on  me,  too;  my 
brain,  shaken  up  like  a  bowlful  of  porridge,  had  no 
sense;  my  hands,  sore  and  lacerated,  pained  me,  and 
a  sound  of  bells  and  general  confusion  was  in  my  ears. 
Yet  I  remembered  my  object  in  riding  forth,  and  now 
guided  my  horse  to  a  break  in  the  cliffs,  where  I  knew 
that  I  could  reach  the  rugged  shore  and  hide  myself  in  a 
deep,  dark  cave,  vaulted  like  a  cathedral,  and  which 
bore  the  rather  creepy  name  of  "La  Grotte  du  Di- 
able." 

At  the  beginning  of  the  abrupt  descent  of  this  rocky 
crevice  I  paused  and  jumped  to  the  ground.  The  water 
looked  especially  treacherous,  and  was  of  that  peculiar 
opaque  green  which  betokens  storms  or  very  high  tides, 
and  the  rising  wind  carried  with  it  a  strong,  bitter  flavor 
of  brine  and  sea -weed.  For  a  moment  I  stood  unde- 
cided, holding  the  halter  of  Buce'phale,  who  was  snort- 
ing at  my  side,  and  shaking  his  huge  bulk  as  the  cool 
breeze  struck  his  steaming  sides.  The  path  I  had  to 
descend,  ordinarily  used  by  coast-guards,  was  very  steep 
and  difficult,  but  I  was  past  heeding  such  trifling  ob- 
stacles, and,  dragging  my  exhausted  horse  behind  me, 
I  began  my  downward  course.  The  loose  stones  and 
sand  preceded  us  in  noisy  cataracts  as  we  advanced 

106 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

cautiously,  and  both  of  us  stumbled  and  recovered  our 
footing  many  a  time. 

How  lonely  it  was  on  that  incline,  facing  the  restless 
ocean,  wrhich  grew  more  and  more  menacing!  The 
weather  was  becoming  decidedly  bad.  A  low  cloud 
smote  me  with  a  short-lived  torrent  of  rain-drops,  sharp 
like  needles,  and  I  instinctively  rubbed  my  disengaged 
hand  across  my  eyes.  The  sun  was  quite  hidden  now, 
and  a  weird,  livid  light  lent  a  leaden  color  to  the  south- 
ern horizon.  The  sea  grew  heavier  and  heavier,  foam 
like  white  powder  covered  every  rock,  and  there  was  a 
raw,  hard,  unseasonable  feeling  in  the  air,  while  my 
friends  the  mews  whirled  above  my  head,  screaming 
dismally. 

At  last  I  reached  the  beach,  and  managed  to  steer 
Bucephale  into  the  cave.  Poor  old  chap!  what  with 
the  rain  and  his  own  previous  drenched  condition 
he  was  in  a  sorry  plight.  I  led  him  to  the  upper  end  of 
the  grotto,  where  the  sand  was  fine  and  dry,  and,  stand- 
ing on  a  bowlder,  I  rubbed  him  down  as  best  I  could 
with  a  piece  torn  from  his  stable  blanket,  which  I  had 
left  on  him  when  I  abducted  him  from  his  tower. 

The  equine  giant  looked  at  me  intelligently,  and  I 
thought  a  little  pitifully,  as  I  thus  exerted  myself  on  his 
behalf,  and  he  completed  my  work  by  rolling  luxurious- 
ly in  the  dry  sand  above  mentioned. 

I  was  so  tired  that  I,  too,  lay  down  at  full  length  and 
closed  my  eyes  wearily.  A  wave  splashing  me  slightly 
made  me  sit  up  with  a  start,  and  I  perceived  that  the  tide 
had  made  me  a  prisoner.  An  instantaneous  certainty 
that  I  was  lost  came  over  me,  and  I  gazed  helplessly 
at  the  water,  which  now,  like  a  wall,  arose  before  the 
opening  of  "La  Grotte  du  Diable"  and  rapidly  gained 
ground.  Scum  and  little  pebbles  were  hurled  in  my 
face,  and  BucSphale  whinnied  and  sought  refuge  higher 

107 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

up,  pawing  the  ground  impatiently.  The  nicker  of 
noon  through  clouds  was  hardly  perceptible,  and  I 
could  see  but  dimly,  for  all  around  me  hung  a  gray 
mist  of  spray,  which  the  wild  winds  drove  furiously 
inward.  I  sighed  and  joined  the  horse,  who  looked 
like  an  indistinct  and  shapeless  mass,  without  hardly 
any  form  or  color  to  distinguish  it  from  the  brooding 
gloom  and  slaty  walls  of  the  cave. 

" Mon  pauvre  vieux,  nous  sommes  fichus  tous  les 
deux,"  I  said,  leaning  against  him  and  speaking  more 
emphatically  than  politely.  The  old  chap  grunted  and 
turned  his  ungainly  head  towards  the  incoming  water 
with  a  sniff  of  contempt. 

"  Tu  n'as  pas  peur?"  I  continued,  and,  as  I  was  be- 
ginning to  feel  pangs  of  hunger,  I  took  out  what  lit- 
tle food  I  had  brought  with  me,  and  shared  it  with  him, 
en  freres. 

Little  by  little,  however,  my  thoughts  returned  to  my 
grievances,  and  my  only  wish  was  to  lie  down  quietly 
and  to  die  there  in  solitude.  A  sob  shook  me,  for  there 
seemed  to  be  no  hope  now  of  ever  emerging  alive  from 
that  awful  trap. 

"Am  I  a  coward  or  an  utter  brute,  or  both?"  I  aske'l 
myself.  "  I  came  here  to  escape ;  well,  my  escape  will 
be  for  good  and  all.  What  of  that?"  The  idea  cheered 
me,  and  I  waited  in  calm  indifference  for  the  end.  I  had 
not  realized  that  this  would  be  one  of  the  high  tides  of 
the  year,  or  else  I  would  not  have  sought  refuge  in  my 
present  impregnable  fortress — impregnable,  except  by 
the  ocean  itself.  My  eyes  swept  over  the  remorseless 
breakers,  and  then  I  suddenly  thought  of  Bertrand. 
"How  could  I  leave  him?"  I  cried  aloud,  wrathfully. 
"How  could  I?" 

The  hours  passed.  The  violence  of  the  storm  and  of 
the  waves  abated  a  little,  and  still  I  sat  motionless,  for  I 

1 08 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A  PRINCESS 

had  lost  almost  all  consciousness,  all  memory,  save  of 
that  beloved  little  brother,  who  would  possibly  cry  bit- 
terly when  he  was  told  of  my  death.  It  seemed  to  me 
that  the  solitude  around  me  and  the  dangers  with  which 
I  was  beset  were  not  more  desolate  than  my  own  fate. 
Numbed  and  stupefied,  wet,  cold,  and  faint,  I  asked  my- 
self why  I  had  run  away,  and  what  good  I  had  hoped  to 
achieve  by  this  mad  freak.  I  patted  from  time  to  time 
the  big  horse,  who  stood  patiently  wraiting  by  me,  turn- 
ing his  docile  eyes  with  a  wondering  sadness  towards  the 
narrow  outlet  across  which  the  setting  sun  was  now  cast- 
ing a  blinding  glow  through  a  rift  in  the  purple  clouds. 

After  a  while  I  noticed  that  the  tide  was  receding,  and 
little  by  little  it  dawned  on  me  that  we  were  saved.  Reel- 
ing slightly,  I  rose  and  stretched  myself,  and  watched 
the  ruddy  rays  fade,  the  sky  turn  to  a  sickly  blue,  the 
water  noiselessly  drain  itself  out  of  my  cave,  and  at  last 
the  stars  peep  forth  far,  oh,  so  far  above  me;  and  then  it 
was  that  I  heard  a  faint  echo  of  shouting  human  voices. 
Ah,  yes!  a  searching-party,  I  thought.  I  would  see 
Bertrand  again,  after  all!  But  the  odd  stupor  that 
comes  from  long  exposure  and  hunger  was  stealing  over 
me.  My  feet  and  hands  tingled,  and  I  gazed  dizzily 
to  the  ocean  vapor  below  me  and  the  granite  roof 
above  my  head.  My  heart  stood  still  in  my  breast,  and 
there  was  no  strength  left  in  me  to  shout  back.  I  saw 
the  light  of  a  lanthorn  cast  its  red  glare  into  the  cave, 
and  then  I  must  have  swooned. 

All  that  day  the  faithful  people  of  my  dead  father's 
household  had  been  looking  for  me.  Ever  since  the 
moment  when  it  was  discovered  that  my  bed  was  empty, 
my  clothes  and  knapsack  gone,  and  Bucephale  away 
from  his  stable,  they  had  scoured  the  land. 

At  last  they  traced  the  horse's  footprints  and  followed 
them  near  to  the  cave.  But  the  tide  prevented  even 

109 


THE    TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

these  brave  men  from  coming  to  me  sooner,  and  their 
distress  was  great  when  they  realized  that  I  would  of  a 
certainty  be  washed  out  to  sea. 

They,  however,  by  a  last  scruple  of  conscience,  de- 
termined to  visit  the  grotto  as  soon  as  the  passage  lead- 
ing to  its  narrow  inlet  became  free,  and  there,  to  their  in- 
tense amazement,  they  found  me,  saved  as  by  a  miracle. 

It  would  be  useless  to  describe  my  return  home;  I 
myself  do  not  clearly  remember  it.  But  one  thing 
will  stand  out  in  my  memory  ever — the  frantic  joy  of 
Bertrand  when  we  met  again.  My  mother  had  been  too 
thoroughly  frightened  to  be  severe.  She  said  but  little, 
and  what  she  did  say  concerned  merely  creature  com- 
forts of  which  I  stood  in  sore  need. 

The  tenderness  of  my  tiny  brother  made  me  repent 
greatly  for  what  I  had  done,  and  unsolicited  I  promised 
my  mother  never  to  act  again  in  so  reprehensible  a  way. 
Tears  came  like  dew  on  my  parched  little  heart.  I  laid 
my  soul  bare  before  Almighty  God,  and  tried  to  pluck 
my  pride  and  stubbornness  and  impatience  from  their 
bleeding  roots.  That  night  my  resolve  was  taken;  I 
decided  to  conquer  myself,  and  I  hoped  to  succeed;  yet 
I  often  faltered  upon  my  way  and  mused — 

"  The  darkness  over  my  road  doth  creep — 

Of  a  guide  I  am  bereft; 
Which  path  leads  from  this  lonely  deep, 
Is  it  to  right  or  left?" 


CHAPTER  VH 

"The  rosebud  shakes  because 

A  bird  on  its  twig  flew, 
My  own  soul  shakes  because 

I  think,  my  dear,  of  you; 

I  think,  my  dear,  of  you; 
My  darling,  charming  maid, 

Thou  art  the  richest  gem 
My  God  has  ever  made!" 

MY  uncle's  castle !  Is  there  any  place  in  the  universe 
where  the  traditions  and  customs  of  the  past  have  been 
so  extraordinarily  preserved?  And  my  uncle  himself — 
haughtiest  of  the  haughty,  and  a  trifle  narrow-minded 
old  aristocrat,  who  would  never  abate  one  jot  of  the  mag- 
nificence which  he  considered  due  to  the  name  he  bore! 
His  stud  was  faultless.  His  cook  was  an  artist  in  his 
line.  A  retinue  of  admirably  trained  servants  filled  the 
vast  halls,  the  stables,  and  the  gardens.  The  ban- 
queting-room,  the  picture-gallery,  the  enfilades  of  salons, 
were  worthy  the  gallant  old  family  tree  which  was  his 
pride.  Pride  of  race,  not  of  rank,  was  his  most  marked 
characteristic.  It  showed  in  the  erect  carriage  of  his 
head,  in  the  flash  of  his  dark  falcon  eyes,  and  in  his 
whole  bearing.  He  was  the  type  of  a  chivalrous  Sei- 
gneur, better  fitted  for  the  days  of  knighthood  than  for 
our  degenerate  period.  He  hated  everything  modern 
with  a  cruel  and  a  savage  hatred  which  he  failed  to  con- 
ceal or  to  temper,  and  which  strongly  colored  all  his  ac- 
tions, as  it  soured  and  wounded  those  who  did  not  think 
and  feel  as  he  did.  But  he  was,  nevertheless,  too  much 

in 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

of  a  thoroughbred  by  nature  to  ever  follow  or  accept  the 
vulgar  indecorum  of  our  time,  which  makes  it  possible 
to  state  one's  opinion  at  every  turn — be  it  ever  so  harsh 
— and  a  tous  risques. 

To  him  discourtesy  was  worse  than  the  breaking  of 
the  commandments.  Hence  he  did  not  associate  with 
people  of  whom  he  did  not  approve. 

His  hatred  of  the  bourgeoisie  was  as  deep  and  in- 
grained as  the  hatred  of  game-birds  for  a  red  dog ;  but 
he  loved  his  peasants — his  vassals,  he  called  them — 
and  was  kind  and  paternal  to  them  in  the  extreme.  He 
had  never  married,  and  his  noble  old  house  was  kept 
by  la  vieille  Catherine,  a  dragon  of  virtue,  who  bristled 
with  good  qualities.  She  was  a  stately  person,  with 
hair  as  white  as  silver,  dark  robes,  and  a  "Henin"- 
shaped  cap,  that  gave  her  the  appearance  of  a  figure 
taken  from  some  old  missal.  I  irreverently  called  her 
la  vieille  Catherine,  although  every  one  else  addressed 
her  as  "  Dame  Catherine." 

The  castle  was  a  great  Gothic  pile,  which  in  days  of 
yore  had  been  blasted  with  petronels  and  riddled  with 
arrows  and  bullets.  Yet  it  still  possessed  a  solemn 
beauty,  given  to  it  in  ancient  times  by  those  masterly 
hands  that  built  for  the  pure  love  of  art,  and  with  the  in- 
tent of  erecting  imperishable  records  of  their  toil.  It 
stood  on  the  top  of  a  high  hill,  surrounded  by  deep,  se- 
cluded valleys,  dense  forest  lands,  sheltering  an  abun- 
dance of  game  in  their  dusky  recesses.  A  semi-royal 
palace,  silent  and  solitary  and  impressive,  only  a  few 
miles  from  the  eternally  moaning  ocean,  but  far  from 
the  roar  and  filth  of  steam  and  the  vandalism  of  prog- 
ress. 

I  used  to  spend  some  weeks  of  every  year  there,  but 
my  mother  seldom  accepted  the  courtly  but  cold  invita- 
tions sent  to  her  as  in  duty  bound  by  her  brother-in-law. 

112 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

These  two  detested  each  other — no  weaker  term  will 
do.  The  grave,  severe,  somewhat  suspicious  character 
of  my  uncle  made  a  striking  contrast  to  my  mother's 
self  -  indulgent,  capricious  and  unreasonable  nature. 
When  she  brought  her  restless  spirit,  her  marvellous 
gowns,  and  her  mundane  fragrance  to  the  stately  old 
place,  he  shuddered  at  the  discordance  which  she  pro- 
duced therewith,  and  his  grim,  stern  smile  of  disap- 
proval must  have  cut  her  at  times  like  a  whip. 

To  me  he  was  always  good  and  indulgent.  "  Tu  es 
de  la  vieille  roche,  toi,  petit  Crapaud !"  he  often  said. 
"  Tu  ressembles  a  ton  pere  et  a  nous  tons !" — a  compli- 
ment which  pleased  and  gratified  me  beyond  measure. 

"And  you,"  I  retorted  one  day,  "are  like  Parsifal,  or 
Perceforest,  riding  away  to  find  the  emerald  cup  of 
legend." 

He  laughed  his  low,  grave  laugh.  "An  old  Perce- 
forest, then,"  he  muttered,  "on  whose  head  much 
snow  has  fallen." 

We  were  riding  across  the  home  woods,  and  the  slant- 
ing beams  of  the  setting  sun  pierced  through  the  closely 
packed  dark  stems  of  the  glorious  trees  he  loved  so  much. 

"  How  old  are  you,  Marguerite?"  he  suddenly  asked, 
turning  in  his  saddle  to  look  at  me,  as  if  an  unex- 
pected idea  had  just  occurred  to  him. 

"  I  will  be  fifteen  next  August,  mon  oncle,"  I  replied, 
proudly. 

"Fifteen  next  August,"  he  repeated,  musingly, 
"  which  means  that,  as  we  are  in  November,  you  are 
only  fourteen  and  three  months.  Par  ma  foi,  petite  fills, 
you  look  much  older  than  that — almost  a  woman,  in  fact. 
You  are  like  a  white  rosebud  about  to  burst  into  bloom, 
my  dear.  Forgive  your  old  uncle  if  he  tells  you  so." 

"Why,  you  dear  old  darling,  how  poetical  you  are!" 
and  with  my  usual  impetuosity  I  threw  myself  almost 
H  113 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

off  my  horse  and  hugged  my  uncle  as  a  young  bear 
would  its  sire.  I  was  not  accustomed  to  hear  nice  things 
about  myself,  and  his  words  delighted  me. 

The  dying  sunlight  played  among  the  leaves,  turning 
them  to  gold,  and  suddenly  a  shadow  fell  athwart  a 
venturesome  scarlet  ray,  thrown  like  a  broad  and  daz- 
zling arrow  a  little  ahead  of  us. 

With  this  weird  glow  shining  full  upon  him  was  a 
boy,  mounted  on  a  superb  hunter — a  boy  but  little  over 
twenty — tall,  lithe,  and  broad-shouldered,  with  a  thor- 
oughly beautiful,  fearless  face,  large  hazel  eyes,  and 
tawny,  short-cropped  curls. 

"Alban!"  exclaimed  my  uncle,  "where  do  you  drop 
from?" 

The  lad  started  a  little,  and  looked  at  us  with  a  glad 
smile. 

"I  have  ridden  with  the  hounds  all  day,  hoping  to 
find  you  at  the  meet,  or  during  the  run." 

In  the  half-laughing  words  there  was  an  inflection  of 
pain  and  regret  that  struck  my  ear  with  a  vague  sense 
of  sorrow.  His  eyes  looked  earnestly,  almost  beseech- 
ingly, at  me;  his  lips,  under  his  light,  silky  mustache, 
were  tremulous.  Then  he  laughed  the  soft,  merry 
laugh  of  his  still  lingering  boyhood. 

"  Thank  God,  I  have  found  you  now  1"  he  said,  simply. 

My  uncle  turned  his  head  towards  him,  and  a  warmth 
and  gentleness  overspread  his  grim  features,  such  as  I 
had  seldom  if  ever  seen  there. 

"Good  boy!"  he  munnured,  as  we  broke  into  a  trot, 
all  three  abreast,  under  the  rapidly  deepening  forest 
shadows.  "  Come  home  with  us  and  share  our  dinner. 
Marguerite  is  maitresse  de  maison  just  now,  and,  if  you 
get  naught  else,  you  may  feed  on  flowers,  for  she  has 
taken  the  decoration  of  the  table  in  hand,  and  turns  it 
into  a  fairy  bower  at  every  meal. " 

114 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

Alban  was  my  uncle's  godchild,  and  the  apple  of  his 
eye.  For  he  was  also  the  son  of  his  dearest  friend, 
the  Marquis  d'A.  The  young  man  had  just  entered 
the  army,  and  was  on  a  short  furlough  before  the  de- 
parture of  his  regiment,  the  — th  Dragoons,  for  the  south 
of  France.  A  singularly  rare  and  interesting  type  was 
this  manly  lad,  capable  of  the  maddest  follies,  when 
roused,  but  shy  and  almost  timid  in  his  every-day  bear- 
ing. He  enjoyed  risking  life  and  limb  in  reckless  rides, 
for  he  was  terribly  in  earnest  in  whatever  he  undertook 
to  do.  I  had  not  seen  him  very  often,  for  he  had  joined 
his  regiment  immediately  after  leaving  the  cavalry 
school  at  Saumur.  But  during  this  last  visit  to  my 
uncle's  we  had  ridden  and  driven  and  walked  a  great 
deal  together,  with  my  dear  avuncular  relative  for  a 
chaperon. 

Alban  was  a  young  dare-devil,  who  had  played  with 
death  more  than  once,  but  to  me  he  was  extraordinarily 
gentle.  And  even  young  and  guileless  and  quaintly 
childish  as  I  still  was,  I  could  see  that  he  liked  me  well 
in  spite  of  all  the  reserve  which  the  old  French  etiquette 
imposed  upon  our  slightest  actions.  I  had  never  been 
a  moment  alone  with  him.  Such  possibilities  do  not 
exist  even  between  cousins  and  near  relatives  in  our 
world.  Yet,  I' amour  est  enfant  de  Boheme,  et  pardessus 
le  tnarche  un  petit  espiegle,  who  laughs  at  etiquette 
and  makes  his  meaning  plain  in  spite  of  all  imaginable 
obstacles.  I  began  to  think  in  those  autumn  days  that 
Alban  was  a  veritable  hero — and  so  he  finally  proved 
to  be,  poor,  dear  boy !  His  frank,  clear  eyes,  so  soft  at 
times,  so  trustful,  his  handsome  features,  with  their 
sunny  candor,  his  daring  and  grit  and  inimitable  chic, 
made  up  a  tout-ensemble  that  filled  my  youthful  mind 
with  wonder  and  admiration.  I  was  a  small  noddy- 
bird,  with  no  knowledge  of  life  and  no  experience.  But 

"5 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

I  was  certain  that  my  father  would  have  been  pleased 
with  Alban,  and  that  was  enough  to  make  me  glory  in 
my  drawing  affection  for  him. 

Now  I  look  back  upon  myself  as  I  was  then  with  the 
grimness  of  a  veteran,  hearing  those  who  have  never 
been  wounded  jest  at  scars,  but  still  the  bloom  of  that 
first  love  has  never  been  rubbed  off,  nor  has  its  memory 
faded. 

As  we  rode  over  the  smooth  sward  of  the  stately  gar- 
dens, a  tall,  commanding  figure  came  out  from  the 
deep  shadow  of  the  celebrated  royal  elms  that  sheltered 
the  front  terraces. 

It  was  Alban's  father,  who  declared  to  us  that  he  had 
come  to  claim  his  old  friend's  hospitality  for  dinner. 
The  marquis  was  a  gentilhomme  de  race,  if  ever  there 
was  one.  He  possessed  a  supreme  and  easy  grace, 
full  of  dignity  and  many  martial  and  virile  qualities, 
wonderfully  blended  together,  and  there  was  no  effort  or 
assumption  in  his  courtly  manners.  He  was  a  stately 
personage,  with  iron-gray  hair  and  long,  sweeping 
mustaches  like  those  of  a  Pandour — a  man  of  iron  cour- 
age and  strong  constitution — was  this  old-fashioned 
grand-seigneur,  and  my  heart  went  out  towards  him 
as  he  lifted  me  from  my  saddle  and  before  setting  me 
down  on  the  sanded  drive  kissed  my  cheek  as  if  I  had 
been  his  own  little  daughter. 

It  was  seven  o'clock  when  we  assembled  in  the 
great  dining-hall,  where  our  four  covers  were  laid  at 
the  upper  end  of  the  long  board,  loaded  with  plate,  and, 
as  my  uncle  had  promised,  with  flowers  and  fruit  that  I 
had  arranged.  Below  the  salt  sat  my  uncle's  chaplain, 
his  secretary,  his  chief  steward,  and  his  equerry;  for 
such  was  the  ancient  rule  he  invariably  followed.  The 
moon  was  rising,  and  the  nightingales  were  singing 
outside,  and  through  one  of  the  open  casements  long 

116 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

flower-laden  tendrils  of  clematis  and  jessamine  were 
swung  gently  inwards  by  the  light  night  wind. 

Instead  of  going  up  to  my  room  immediately  after 
dinner,  as  usual,  I  lingered  on  the  terrace,  where  the 
three  men  were  smoking.  Finally  I  wandered  off  to 
where  a  climbing  Rose  de  Dijon,  covered  with  hun- 
dreds of  blossoms,  cast  a  shadow  checkered  by  moon- 
beams upon  the  stone  flooring,  and  sat  down  on  the 
elaborately  carved  balustrade.  I  could  not  have  ex- 
plained why,  but  my  whole  soul  was  filled  with  a  sort 
of  awe  and  trembled  within  me  as  if  I  had  reached  the 
supreme  moment  of  my  fate. 

Suddenly  Alban  detached  himself  from  the  group 
and  joined  me.  His  face  was  pale  and  grave,  but  his 
eyes  had  a  suppressed,  and  to  me  a  surprising,  light  in 
their  depths.  I  felt  as  if  the  dark  woods,  the  sleeping 
parterres,  were  wheeling  around  me.  We  were  both 
mute,  and  he  no  longer  looked  at  me,  but  at  the  star- 
studded  sky  above  us,  beseechingly,  it  seemed  almost. 

"  Marguerite,"  he  said  at  last,  tremulously,  "  I  am  a 
man  of  few  protestations — hardly  a  man,  even  as  yet 
— but  I  know  my  own  mind,  and  I  am  steadfast  and 
true.  I  love  you,  my  dear,  with  all  my  heart,  with  all 
my  soul,  with  all  my  strength!  You  are  too  young 
as  yet  to  hear  and  understand  such  words,  but  I  am 
going  away  so  soon,  that  I  could  not  bear  to  part  from 
you  without  telling  you  that  I  am  yours,  and  will  be 
yours  always!" 

I  looked  straight  up  at  him,  and  without  a  word  I 
placed  both  my  hands  into  his.  I  heard  the  quick  in- 
drawing  of  his  breath,  as  he  knelt  at  my  feet  and  rested 
his  curly  head  against  my  knee. 

"Marguerite!  My  Marguerite  des  Marguerites!"  he 
murmured,  softly,  "my  pearl  of  pearls!  my  treasure, 
you  are  the  richest  gem  that  God  has  ever  made!" 

117 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

With  tears  in  my  eyes,  I  rose,  trembling  a  little.  How 
deliciously  all  this  sounded!  Alas!  poor  little  me! 

"  My  father  and  my  godfather  know  that  I  love  you, 
Marguerite,"  he  continued,  "and  they  are  glad  that  it 
should  be  so.  In  a  year  I  will  come  back  and  claim  you 
as  my  own,  my  little,  beloved  girl!" 

We  were  now  standing  side  by  side,  and  he  drew  me 
gently  towards  him.  Suddenly  I  was  filled  with  a  pal- 
pitating, intoxicating  hope.  I  felt  intuitively  that  the 
old,  fearless,  high-handed,  single-hearted  love  which 
had  inspired  great  deeds  to  long-vanished  knights  and 
ladies  was  within  our  grasp,  that  it  was  not  dead,  but 
lived  again  in  all  its  poetry  and  romance,  and  little  as  I 
suspected  or  knew  of  love,  my  instinct  told  me  that 
Alban  was  a  lover  such  as  any  maiden  might  be  proud 
of — might  esteem,  respect,  and  adore.  With  him  I  would 
be  free  forever  from  tyranny  and  injustice.  We 
would  live  a  wonderful  life,  tissee  d'or  et  de  soie,  like 
unto  a  continuous  fairy  tale.  All  these  wild,  joyous 
thoughts  whirled  through  my  brain  as  my  head  rested 
confidently  on  his  shoulder  and  his  hand  softly  caressed 
my  hair. 

"  I  will  love  you  forever,  Marguerite,  with  a  love  that 
is  a  religion — a  love  so  sacred,  so  holy,  so  pure,  that 
you  will  learn  to  give  me  such  a  love  in  return." 

The  night  wind  shook  the  rose-leaves  upon  us,  and 
the  nightingales  in  the  thickets  stopped  their  singing, 
as  if  they  purposely  hushed  their  melodies  in  order  to 
listen  to  that  other  alleluia  d' amour  uttered  so  near 
to  them. 

A  little  later  we  came  hand-in-hand  to  where  the  spon- 
sors of  our  love  still  sat,  lazily  smoking. 

"It  is  wise  sometimes  to  listen  to  one's  heart,"  said 
my  uncle,  stretching  his  hands  in  solemn  benediction 

towards  us. 

118 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

What  a  peerless  evening  this  wasl  C'etait  leciel! 
But  when  the  time  came  to  separate  a  swift,  painful 
thought  made  all  my  joy  turn  to  bitterness.  For  my 
uncle  said  that  on  the  morrow  he  would  write  to  tell 
my  mother  of  what  had  happened,  and  ask  her  for  her 
consent  to  a  conditional  engagement.  I  had  forgotten 
her,  I  am  sorry  to  confess,  as  completely  as  if  she  had 
never  existed.  Would  she  approve?  or  would  she  take 
me  away  and  separate  me  from  my  newly  found  hap- 
piness? Alas!  she  adopted  the  latter  course.  I  might 
have  known  from  the  first  that  she  would.  My  uncle's 
letter  brought  her  to  us  as  rapidly  as  her  posters  could 
draw  her  carriage  there. 

She  stood  in  too  much  awe  of  her  brother-in-law — 
who  was  also  my  guardian  and  my  brother's — to  open- 
ly oppose  his  wishes  in  this  matter,  but  she  adopted 
the  anxious,  plaintive  mien  of  a  doting  parent,  eager 
to  insure  her  beloved  child's  welfare.  After  shedding 
many  tears,  which  did  not  lessen  in  any  way  her  ex- 
ceeding loveliness — she  knew  the  art  of  weeping  grace- 
fully— she  implored  "  her  dear  brother  "  to  let  her  take 
her  "  precious  little  girl "  away  for  a  while.  Of  course 
she  argued  that  she  had  nothing  against  Alban,  en 
principe.  He  was  all  that  could  be  desired;  perhaps 
not  very  wealthy,  but,  to  be  sure,  what  did  that  matter? 
Dear  little  Marguerite  had  enough  and  to  spare.  But 
time  was  needed  to  prove  the  sincerity  of  such  an  af- 
fection, besides  which  she  would  never  permit  her 
daughter  to  marry  before  she  had  reached  her  eigh- 
teenth year,  etc.,  etc.,  etc. 

My  guardian  uncle,  who  acted  also  as  my  guardian 
angel,  just  then  was  forced  to  confess  that  there  was 
truth  in  what  she  said,  and  he  brought  me  round  to  a 
comparatively  reasonable  state  of  mind.  The  upshot 
of  it  all  was  that  a  few  days  later  I  started  with  my 

119 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

mother,  Bertrand,  my  Abb6,  and  a  few  indispensable 
members  of  our  household,  for  the  Riviera,  which,  so 
my  "doting  parent "  claimed,  was  the  only  place  where 
she  could  recover  from  so  many  nerve-shattering  emo- 
tions. 

My  last  interview  with  Alban  was  heart-breaking. 
We  were  so  young  that  the  separation  was  all  the  more 
severe.  Such  sorrows  are  healed  quicker  than  one 
thinks,  but  yet  they  leave  a  scar  that  other  blows  are  apt 
to  open  again.  C'est  la  vie,  et  elle  riestpas  gaiel  We 
plighted  our  troth,  and  the  dear  boy,  with  tears  in  his 
eyes,  slipped  on  my  finger  his  mother's  own  "  bague  de 
fiangailles,"  a  grand,  translucent  emerald,  in  an  old-fash- 
ioned setting  of  dead  gold  and  diamonds.  It  was  a  rare 
and  a  very  valuable  jewel,  at  which  my  mother  looked 
askance;  but  my  uncle  was  present  when  I  timidly 
showed  it  to  her,  and  so  I  was  allowed  to  retain  it.  My 
first  ring !  That  deep-hued  gem,  just  like  the  color  of 
the  forest  trees  beneath  which  I  had  met  Alban  on 
that  momentous  afternoon  I  have  described  earlier. 

Brittany  was  to  know  us  no  more  for  a  long  time ; 
but  I  was  not  aware  of  this,  then,  or  else  I  would  have 
felt  still  more  wretched  than  I  did.  From  the  Riviera 
we  wandered,  in  the  spring,  to  the  Italian  lakes,  and 
then  to  Tyrol.  In  August  we  went  to  Baden,  which 
was  as  crowded  as  it  always  is,  and  overflowing  with 
foreign  hordes :  Russians,  Austrians,  Englishmen — 
foremost  among  them  the  "  dear  prince  " — Englishwom- 
en of  high  rank,  who  had  come  thither  to  bask  in  the 
sunshine  of  "  His  Presence" ;  South- Americans,  clothed 
as  brilliantly  and  chattering  as  loudly  as  a  cage  full  of 
parrots ;  North- Americans,  who  were  "  doing  "  Europe 
with  scrupulous  care  and  attention ;  Greeks  and  Turks 
and  even  Egyptians,  whose  long,  dark  coats  and  red 
tarbouches  gave  them  a  ludicrous  resemblance  to  so 

120 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

many  bottles  of  scarlet  -  sealed  claret  —  in  one  word, 
the  usual  fashionable  gathering,  idling,  laughing, 
promenading,  gossiping,  and  listening  to  the  music 
all  day  long  in  the  parks,  or  at  their  respective  hotels. 

I  hated  the  whole  thing,  and  longed  for  Brittany. 
Bertrand  and  I  spent  all  our  time  with  the  Abb6,  on  the 
outskirts  of  the  parks,  in  the  woods,  or  at  the  chalet 
which  we  had  taken  for  the  season.  It  was  a  pretty, 
carved  toy,  overrun  with  wistaria  and  honeysuckle, 
and  surrounded  by  comparatively  large  grounds  all 
a -bloom  with  gorgeous,  mundane  -  looking,  frivolous 
flowers,  with  which  I  could  not  make  friends.  German 
soil,  I  reflected,  could  not  bring  forth  anything  that  I 
might  in  honor  admire. 

The  houses  in  Baden  all  had  a  lively  expression, 
with  their  bright  green  shutters  and  gayly  striped 
awnings,  and  the  people  were  entirely  too  dashing, 
too  noisy,  too  fond  of  pleasure  for  my  taste.  Of  Alban 
I  heard  rarely — short,  stiff  little  letters,  sent  under 
cover  of  my  mother,  which,  under  the  circumstances, 
could  not  be  other  than  froides  et  guindees.  But  I 
did  not  make  allowances  for  that,  and  when  compared 
with  his  impassioned  words,  they  struck  my  heart 
with  an  ever-increasing  chill.  He  was  still  with  his 
regiment  in  the  South,  and  mentioned  the  numerous 
fetes  to  which  he  and  his  brother  officers  were  bidden. 
But  of  his  love  for  me  he  never  spoke.  The  Tou- 
jours  fidelement  a  vous  at  the  end  of  each  of  these 
naturally  trivial  documents,  and  the  Chere  petite  mienne 
at  the  beginning,  was  all  the  tenderness  they  contained. 
I  was  as  yet  too  unformed,  too  primitive,  to  read  the 
deep  feeling  between  the  lines,  or  to  realize  that  this 
young  suitor  of  mine,  this  enfant  gate  de  la  vie,  was 
true  and  loyal  to  his  promises  and  to  his  love. 

I  have  thought  since  that  my  mother's  little  com- 

121 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

ments  were  the  triumph  of  artfulness :  "Alban  s  amuse"; 
"  Alban  est  a  Vage  ou  tout  invite  au  plaisir";  "Char- 
mant  gargon,  on  doit  se  le  disputer,"  etc.,  etc.  Every 
little  laughingly  spoken,  double-barbed  sentence  made 
me  wince,  for  it  never  occurred  to  me  that  they  were  the 
first  telling  shots  of  a  carefully  and  shrewdly  planned 
campaign  in  which  I  should  be  the  loser.  Of  course,  our 
semi-engagement  had  been  kept  a  profound  secret,  and 
not  even  my  dear  Abbe"  knew  a  word  about  it. 

One  morning  Bertrand  and  I  started  bright  and  early 
for  a  distant  forest  glen,  accompanied  by  my  maid  and 
by  the  boy's  valet  de  chambre,  the  same  old  soldier  who 
had  acted  in  a  like  capacity  for  my  father.  The  still- 
ness of  the  dense  woods  was  disturbed  only  by  the  sound 
of  rushing  waters  and  the  calls  and  trills  of  countless 
birds.  We  walked  slowly  over  the  moss  and  short,  dense 
green  grass.  The  calm  was  something  beautiful  be- 
neath the  verdant  vault  which  shut  off  the  ardent  rays 
of  the  sun,  and  my  dear  little  brother  and  I  laughed 
and  chattered  light  -  heartedly  as  we  went  along.  At 
the  top  of  our  voices  we  sang  snatches  of  our  favorite 
Breton  songs,  two  of  which  I  roughly  transcribe  here 
as  I  have  already  done  in  the  case  of  the  dear  old 
New  Year's  carol,  simply  because  I  love  the  sound — 
nay,  the  very  look — of  them,  for  the  sake  of  "Auld 
Lang  Syne."  I  was  still  a  child,  with  all  a  child's  love 
for  mirth  and  fun,  so  that  we  were  soon  scampering 
among  the  lichen-grown  rocks,  like  two  merry  squirrels 
playing  at  hide-and-seek,  and  pelting  each  other  with 
clusters  of  flowerets  and  buds  made  into  fragrant  balls. 

Bertrand  was  growing  every  day  dearer  to  me.  This 
handsome  little  lad  of  seven,  with  his  wonderful  gray 
eyes,  his  golden  curls,  active  little  body,  and  his  delicate 
coloring  and  slender,  muscular  frame,  was  the  only 
playmate  I  ever  cared  for.  When  with  him  I  was  once 

122 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A   PRINCESS 

more  a  romping,  agile  boy  myself,  and  as  my  Lady 
Mother  had  long  since  repealed  her  veto  against  our 
being  together,  we  simply  adored  each  other,  and  spent 
all  our  leisure  hours  in  close  companionship,  riding, 


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THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 


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driving,  and  walking,  or  playing  &  la  petite  guerre  with 
a  wonderful  collection  of  leaden  soldiers,  our  favorite 
toy. 

At  last  we  reached  a  small  gorge,  enclosed  by  fern- 

124 


THE    TRIBULATIONS  OF  A  PRINCESS 

covered  rocks,  where  exquisite  flowers  blossomed  in 
profusion,  and  forthwith  we  set  to  work  to  gather  cy- 
clamens, violets,  and  blue  gentians.  A  tall  bunch  of 
foxgloves  on  the  top  of  a  dangerously  steep  bank  so 
took  my  fancy  that  with  my  usual  recklessness  I  started 
to  climb  the  almost  perpendicular  incline  like  a  regular 
monkey.  Unfortunately  I  stepped  on  a  loose  stone, 
and,  unable  to  recover  my  footing,  I  tumbled  to  the  bot- 
tom of  the  miniature  precipice,  where,  much  disgusted 
with  myself,  I  lay  on  a  patch  of  moss.  The  worst  of  it 
was  that  Bertrand  and  the  servants  were  quite  out  of 
hearing,  he  having  just  run  back  to  get  our  flask  of  cold 
tea  from  the  waiting  carriage.  My  ankle  was  badly 
twisted,  and  I  was  perfectly  incapable  of  getting  up 
without  assistance.  Twice  I  tried  to  struggle  to  my 
feet,  but  at  last  I  gave  up  the  attempt,  and,  sitting  reso- 
lutely down  on  the  now  wofully  crushed  moss,  I  began 
to  halloo  lustily,  in  hopes  of  attracting  attention.  No 
such  luck  was  in  store  for  me,  however,  and  I  was  grow- 
ing disgusted  with  myself  for  my  carelessness,  when  a 
tall  figure  came  running  towards  me  from  the  direction 
opposite  to  that  which  Bertrand  had  taken.  The  un- 
known was  a  handsome  man,  with  clear  blue  eyes  and 
extremely  long,  silky,  fair  mustaches.  His  Norfolk 
jacket,  knickerbockers,  and  untanned  leather  gaiters 
did  not  prevent  him  from  looking  every  inch  a  typical 
aristocrat.  Taking  off  his  soft  felt  hat,  and  bowing 
with  a  grace  which  even  in  my  ridiculous  position  I 
could  not  help  noticing,  he  asked  whether  he  could  be  of 
any  assistance  to  me.  I  replied  to  this  singularly  well- 
timed  offer  by  asking  him  to  aid  me  to  regain  my 
footing.  This  was  a  difficult  task,  for  my  ankle  was 
so  sore  that  walking  was  out  of  the  question.  For  a 
moment  we  looked  at  each  other  in  some  dismay,  and 
then,  struck  suddenly  by  the  ludicrous  side  of  the  affair, 

125 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

I  burst  into  uncontrollable  laughter.  He  speedily  fol- 
lowed my  example,  though  in  a  quieter  and  more  dig- 
nified manner.  Then  I  asked  this  interesting  unknown 
to  be  so  very  kind  as  to  step  down  to  the  road  in  order  to 
summon  my  servants,  adding  that  my  brother's  valet 
was  a  strong  fellow  who  would  carry  me  easily  to  the 
victoria  waiting  for  us  on  the  high-road.  To  my  great 
surprise  an  expression  of  vexation  spread  over  my  new 
acquaintance's  clean-cut  features. 

"If  you  will  allow  me,  mademoiselle,"  he  said,  quick- 
ly, and  with  some  bitterness,  "  I  think  I  can  fulfil  that 
office  as  well  as  a  servant.  It  will  save  time,  and  I  will 
endeavor  to  make  the  transit  as  little  disagreeable  to 
you  as  I  can." 

Observing  that  a  refusal  on  my  part  would  most  cer- 
tainly hurt  his  feelings,  I  thanked  him,  and,  apologizing 
for  the  trouble  I  was  giving  him,  allowed  him  to  lift  me 
from  the  ground.  He  carried  me  as  easily  and  com- 
fortably as  if  I  had  been  a  baby,  to  the  spot  where  my 
servants  and  Bertrand  greeted  me  with  intense  aston- 
ishment. I  explained  to  them  what  had  occurred,  and  I 
was  soon  helped  into  the  carriage.  Turning  to  the 
bel  inconnu,  I  thanked  him  again  for  his  kindness, 
for  I  thought  that  indeed  he  was  a  real  trump. 

"It  is  I  who  thank  you,  mademoiselle,"  he  replied, 
"  for  having  granted  me  the  privilege  of  being  of  service 
to  you."  Then,  he  added,  somewhat  hesitatingly,  "I 
hope  that  this  is  not  the  last  time  that  I  shall  be  honored 
by  seeing  you.  An  acquaintance  so  romantically  be- 
gun should  not  end  abruptly." 

My  faithful  maid,  Marie,  who  took  her  duties  as  duenna 
very  seriously  to  heart,  intervened  here,  murmuring 
something  about  "monsieur's  kindness,"  and  stating 
the  necessity  of  taking  me  home  at  once,  in  case  our 
prolonged  absence  should  cause  anxiety. 

126 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

And  then  we  drove  off,  leaving  him  standing  bare- 
headed on  the  edge  of  the  road,  his  blue  eyes  following 
me  lingeringly,  while  naughty  Bertrand,  under  the 
flapping  brim  of  his  large  sailor  hat,  made  faces  at  him 
— la  nique,  as  we  used  to  call  it. 

For  a  few  days  I  suffered  a  good  deal  from  that 
sprained  ankle,  but  I  soon  recovered,  and  forgot  all 
about  the  handsome  stranger  who  had  come  to  my 
rescue  so  opportunely. 

I  was  very  much  taken  up  just  then  with  the  idea  of 
appearing  at  my  first  party,  and  only  hoped  that  the 
accident  would  in  no  way  interfere  with  this  great  event. 

Grand- Duchess  V.,  who  was  spending  the  season 
at  Baden,  had  announced  that  she  would  give  a  bal 
blanc — a  novelty  in  those  days.  None  of  the  dancers 
would  be  over  twenty,  but  it  was  not  to  be,  strictly  speak- 
ing, a  children's  ball,  for  the  venerable  age  of  twelve 
was  to  be  a  conditio  sine  qua  non  in  order  to  receive  an 
invitation.  Poor  Bertrand  felt  very  bitter,  since  he  was 
thus  ranked  among  the  infants  who  were  not  invited. 

On  the  eventful  evening  I  drove  with  my  mother  to 
the  grand-ducal  villa,  feeling  very  much  pleased  with 
myself.  She  was  an  artist  in  her  way,  and  my  plain 
white  voile  frock,  made  a  la  Niche",  with  the  skirt  clear- 
ing the  ground  by  several  inches,  and  the  clasp  of  fresh 
white  marguerites  barreting  my  long,  hanging  braids, 
were  a  poem  of  their  kind. 

I  had  been  told  so  often  I  was  an  ugly  little  thing 
that  vanity  had  no  share  in  my  elation  and  delight, 
but  I  have  never  been  shy,  and  I  looked  forward  to 
the  evening's  amusement  with  eager  anticipation.  Nor 
was  I  disappointed.  The  dear,  kind  -  hearted  grand- 
duchess  whispered  here  and  there  that  this  was  my  first 
little  social  treat,  and  everybody  was  most  attentive  to 
me.  The  grand-duke  insisted  upon  dancing  the  open- 

127 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A  PRINCESS 

ing  quadrille  with  me,  in  spite  of  the  adamantine  edict 
which  prohibited  all  grown-up  people  from  joining  us 
young  disciples  of  Terpsichore. 

Suddenly,  at  the  end  of  the  ballroom,  I  saw  my  mys- 
terious rescuer.  He  was  leaning  against  the  wall, 
and  was  literally  devouring  me  with  his  eyes. 

Just  as  the  orchestra  struck  up  the  "  Blue  Danube  " 
waltz,  he  crossed  the  floor,  and,  bowing  low  before  me, 
said,  in  French,  with  a  slight  but  very  pretty  foreign 
accent,  "  Voulez-vous,  mademoiselle,  me  faire  la  grace  de 
valser  avec  moi?" 

From  her  seat  under  a  group  of  palms  my  mother 
signalled  to  me  most  peremptorily  to  accept,  and  I  did  so 
at  once. 

What  a  waltz  that  was !  I  had  never  imagined  any- 
thing like  it,  the  gliding,  easy,  equal  motion,  the  de- 
lightful sense  of  security  while  the  strong  arm  was  en- 
circling me,  the  intoxicating  music,  the  perfect  floor.  It 
was  a  dream. 

A  marguerite  fell  from  my  hair  as  we  at  last  stopped, 
and  he  furtively  slipped  it  within  his  glove.  I  looked  at 
him  with  some  surprise,  but  he  drew  my  arm  within  his 
and  led  me  towards  the  lamp-lit  terrace  as  if  he  had  just 
done  the  most  natural  thing  in  the  world. 

The  lovely  spectacle  presented  by  the  illuminated 
gardens  pleased  me  immensely,  and,  if  I  am  to  tell  the 
truth,  I  was  flattered  by  the  evident  devotion  of  my  tall, 
good-looking  companion,  who,  now  that  I  saw  him  in 
glittering  full-dress  uniform,  attracted  me  very  much 
by  his  soldierly  splendor. 

I  stood  beside  him,  quiet  as  a  mouse,  the  sweet  music 
of  the  orchestra  throbbing  in  the  air  about  us,  the  flower- 
laden  balcony  in  front  of  us  wrapped  in  a  golden  mist. 
I  had  not  the  faintest  idea  who  he  was,  for  he  had  taken, 
evidently,  the  law  into  his  own  hands,  and  had  asked 

128 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

nobody  to  introduce  him  to  me.  But  my  mother's  gest- 
ure of  unmistakable  command  showed  that  she  was 
perfectly  informed  as  to  the  rank  and  status  of  the  man 
I  had  looked  upon  as  a  Robin  des  Bois.  He  must  cer- 
tainly be  a  great  personage  of  some  kind,  or  she  would 
not  have  silently  bidden  me  accept  so  unceremonious  an 
invitation.  He  plucked  a  half-blown  white  rose  from 
a  vase  near  by  and  fastened  it  deftly  in  my  hair,  whence 
the  marguerite  had  dropped. 

"  Du  bist  wie  eine  Blume,"  he  whispered,  under  his 
breath,  and  then,  with  the  suspicion  of  a  laugh,  he  said, 
aloud : 

"One  good  turn  deserves  another.  Will  you  reserve 
the  cotillion  for  me?" 

"  If  mamma  lets  me  stay  for  it,  yes,"  I  replied ;  "  but 
she  does  not  like  me  to  keep  late  hours."  He  laughed 
outright  this  time. 

"  Why,  you  are  a  little  woman  already.  Surely  you 
are  not  still  confined  to  the  school-room  and  to  the  con- 
stant care  of  your  governesses?" 

"  I  have  no  governesses — at  least,  I  mean,  no  gover- 
ness in  chief.  I  have  been  brought  up  by  an  abbe". " 

"  Dear  me,  what  a  lucky  abb£  !  But  his  task  is  now 
surely  accomplished.  One  cannot  perfect  perfection." 

It  was  my  turn  to  laugh.  "  I  wish  mamma  could  hear 
you,"  I  exclaimed.  "  She  thinks  me  very  far  from  per- 
fection, I  promise  you." 

How  wonderful  all  this  seemed  to  me.  But  wonders 
were  not  at  an  end,  for  my  usually  so  severe  and  fault- 
finding parent  not  only  permitted  me  to  dance  the  co- 
tillion, but  when  we  drove  home  she  actually  praised 
me — a  thing  she  had  never  done  before — patted  my 
head,  and  declared  that  I  was  quite  a  credit  to  her.  She 
also  made  me  acquainted  with  the  identity  of  Robin  des 
Bois.  It  was  a  revelation  which  made  my  sleepy  eyes 
i  129 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

open  very  wide  with  an  astonishment  not  unmixed  with 
a  queer  little  thrill  of  pride  at  what  my  mother  called 
my  most  amazing  conquest.  Sometimes  earthly  things 
have  their  importance  and  their  weight,  especially  when 
one  is  very  young  and  very  inexperienced,  which  cer- 
tainly was  very  much  the  case  with  me. 

"  Ah,  be  content  with  earthly  things, 
Nor  seek  the  mystic's  vain  desire, 
Though  life  into  the  darkness  wings. 

"See  how  the  red  sun  lowly  swings, 

Tipping  the  yellow  corn  with  fire, 
And  be  content  with  earthly  things. 

"The  bee  upon  the  blossom  clings, 

The  birds  of  summer's  sweetness  choir, 
Though  life  into  the  darkness  wings. 

"The  wind  that  through  the  starlight  sings 

Is  full  of  peace :  then  why  aspire? 
Ah,  be  content  with  earthly  things. 

"Content  with  what  the  morrow  brings, 

Forgetful  of  the  far-off  pyre, 
Though  life  into  the  darkness  wings. 

"Sweet  are  its  chequered  happenings, 

Its  little  loves,  its  petty  ire. 
Ah,  be  content  with  earthly  things, 
Though  life  into  the  darkness  wings/ 


CHAPTER  VIII 

"  Quinze  ans  I — 1'age  celeste  ou  1'arbre  de  la  vie, 

Sous  la  tiede  oasis  du  desert  ambaumg, 
Baigne  ses  fruits  dor£s  de  myrrhe  et  d'ambroisie, 
Et  pour  feconder  1'air  comme  un  palmier  d'Asie, 

N'a  qu'a  jeter  au  vent  son  voile  parfum6 ! 
Quinze  ans — 1'age  ou  la  femme,  au  jour  de  sa  naissance, 
Sortit  des  mains  de  Dieu,  si  blanche  d'innocence, 
Si  riche  de  beaut6,  que  son  pere  immortel 
De  ses  phalanges  d'or  en  fit  1'age  dternell" 

HALCYON  days!  The  little  girl,  always  thrust  in 
the  background,  always  found  fault  with,  humiliated, 
scolded,  repressed,  was  suddenly  a  petted  creature  to 
whom  everything  was  permitted,  and  whose  every  wish 
was  gratified  almost  before  it  was  uttered!  What  was 
the  meaning  of  it  all?  I  could  not  understand.  Ber- 
trand  used  to  put  his  arms  around  my  neck  and  hug 
me  delightedly,  saying  again  and  again:  "Oh,  you 
poor  dear  old  Margot,  I  am  so  glad  to  see  you  treated 
as  well  at  last  as  I  have  always  been  myself!" 

Dear  little  chap !  There  was  not  a  tinge  of  meanness 
or  of  jealousy  in  his  nature,  and  I  loved  him  for  it. 

Robin  des  Bois  was  everlastingly  with  us,  and  a  very 
pleasant  companion  he  was.  For  he  organized  excur- 
sions, sent  my  mother  quantities  of  flowers,  danced 
attendance  upon  me  under  her  benignant  eye — wonder 
of  wonders — and  made  himself  so  indispensable  that 
even  I  looked  forward  to  his  daily  appearance  upon  the 
scene  with  unfeigned  pleasure. 

I  did  not  realize  that  he  was  the  magician  who  had 
thus  transformed  my  existence  for  me,  and  although 

.  131 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

I  sometimes  imitated  blunt  little  Bertrand  and  saucily 
called  him  Karl  tout  court  (which,  by  the  way,  seemed 
to  enchant  him),  I  considered  him  quite  a  venerable 
person,  in  spite  of  his  good  looks  and  surprisingly  youth- 
ful appearance.  For  was  he  not  twenty-one  years  my 
senior?  Presque  un  ancetre,  enfin! 

One  evening  he  brought  me  a  great  cluster  of  forget- 
me-nots  as  blue  as  his  eyes,  and  asked  me  to  wear  them 
for  his  sake.  Something  in  the  tone  of  his  voice  grated 
upon  me,  and  I  laid  the  flowers  on  the  table,  saying, 
coldly,  that  I  did  not  like  forget-me-nots,  and  that  they 
were  silly  flowers.  An  angry  look  from  my  mother 
left  me  absolutely  unmoved.  I  was  beginning  indeed 
to  pay  but  scant  attention  to  her  opinion,  for  her  sudden 
change  of  front  with  regard  to  me  had  bred  a  singular 
carelessness  in  my  attitude  towards  her  which  was  not 
unmixed  with  a  tinge  of  contempt.  Cold,  cruel,  some- 
times fierce,  but  always  dignified  and  sarcastic,  she 
was  a  being  created  to  inspire  awe.  But  when  she  was 
sweet  and  affectionate  she  became  extremely  insincere, 
and  failed  to  impress  me  with  anything  but  distrust. 

Karl  seemed  much  hurt  at  my  rejection  of  his  insipid 
flowers,  and  after  dinner  he  withdrew  writh  my  mother 
to  her  own  sanctum,  where  they  were  closeted  together 
until  long  after  I  had  retired. 

On  the  next  day  I  was  summoned  early  to  my  mother's 
dressing-room.  She  was  sitting  near  one  of  the  windows 
looking  out  upon  endless  geranium-beds,  scarlet,  pink, 
and  cherry  -  colored,  showing  dazzlingly  bright  in  the 
sun-glare,  her  delicate  profile  lighted  a  la  Rembrandt 
by  the  conflict  of  brightness  and  shade  fighting  for 
mastery  beneath  the  downspread  awning. 

"Karl,  my  dearest/'  she  began,  in  her  softest  and 
most  dulcet  tones,  "has  done  you  a  great  honor.  He 
wishes  you  to  be  his  wife." 

132 ,. 


THE  TRIBULATIONS    OF  A   PRINCESS 

Had  the  ceiling  fallen  upon  my  head  I  could  not  have 
been  more  surprised.  Incredulously  I  gazed  at  my  love- 
ly mother  with  a  sort  of  fascination,  watching  the  gentle 
rise  and  fall  of  the  lace  flounces  above  her  graceful 
breast. 

"Why,  Matushka/'  I  said  at  last,  with  an  irrepressi- 
ble laugh,  "you  are  making  fun  of  me.  Karl  is  old 
enough  to  be  my  father ;  surely  you  mean  that  he  has 
asked  you  to  marry  him.  He  cannot  fancy  that  I  love 
him!  How  very,  very  foolish!" 

A  truly  imperial  frown  contracted  her  dark  eyebrows. 

"Old?  What  ridiculous  nonsense!"  she  exclaimed. 
"  Why,  he  is  barely  thirty-six !  And  as  to  your  loving 
him  or  not,  you  can  be  no  judge  of  such  a  matter.  What 
should  you  know  about  love?  Love  is  an  idea,  a  fancy 
— it  does  not  last.  What  is  needed  in  a  union  which 
endures  through  life  is  solid  esteem.  You  must  learn 
to  understand  the  prose  of  existence,  my  child.  Life  is 
far  from  being  all  poetry,  as  you  seem  to  think.  God 
forbid  that  I  should  advise  you  any  kind  of  worldliness, 
but  still  truth  compels  me  to  speak  to  you  as  I  do.  Re- 
member that  as  Karl's  wife  you  will  have  it  in  your 
power  to  do  much  good,  and  that  your  marriage  may 
be  made  subservient  to  God's  own  service.  This  is  a 
very  grand  offer,  Dushka.  Your  position  will  be  one 
of  almost  unequalled  magnificence.  And  this  alliance, 
moreover,  suits  me  absolutely.  You  know  that  I  am 
not  easily  dissuaded  from  anything  I  wish,  so  do 
not  expect  me  to  yield  to  any  girlish  gush,  silliness, 
and  fallacies.  Marry  Karl — I  can  assert  that  you 
will." 

I  began  to  be  seriously  alarmed,  for  I  knew  that  my 
mother's  will  was  of  iron  and  her  tactics  so  clever  that 
she  generally  carried  her  point  on  all  occasions. 

And  what  about  Alban?  I  instinctively  avoided 

i33 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

speaking  his  name,  feeling  that  it  should  be  kept  in 
reserve  as  a  final  and  decisive  argument. 

"Why  are  you  so  anxious  to  get  rid  of  me,  mother?" 
I  said,  gently.  "  Are  you  tired  of  having  me  with  you?" 

"  What  idea  is  this,  Marguerite?  Pray  recollect  your- 
self ;  your  manners  leave  much  room  for  improvement. 
I  insist  upon  your  telling  me  now  what  your  objection 
is  to  marrying  Karl." 

"I  think  that  he  is  a  great  deal  too  old  for  me  and 
that  he  is  also  not  a  man  I  could  either  trust  or  ever  care 
for." 

"  My  dear,  what  do  you  know  about  men?  How  can 
you  venture  to  form  an  opinion,  and  how  dare  you  as- 
sert such  a  thing  of  a  person  whom  I  consider  a  most 
suitable  husband  for  you?  I  am  surprised  at  you. 
Karl  has  behaved  most  charmingly  towards  you,  and 
you  are  very  ungrateful.  But  enough  of  this.  You 
are  my  daughter  and  must  do  as  I  wish  in  this  as  in 
all  other  respects." 

For  a  moment  we  confronted  one  another.  I  was 
seriously  alarmed,  for  I  felt  that  any  further  resistance 
on  my  part  would  not  avail.  I  had  been  so  often  bowed 
down  by  my  mother's  inflexible  decisions  that  I  knew 
to  my  cost,  alas!  that  she  never  yielded  when  once  her 
mind  was  made  up.  Moreover,  I  was  still  too  much  of 
a  child  not  to  be  in  a  measure  dazzled  by  the  brilliant 
prospect  of  becoming,  at  an  age  when  most  girls  are 
still  in  the  school-room,  one  of  the  greatest  ladies  at  the 
most  superb  court  of  Europe.  It  did,  in  fact,  at  one 
moment  flash  through  my  mind  that  my  mother's  words 
and  point  of  view  were  not  so  surprising,  after  all,  per- 
chance. 

Had  it  not  been  for  Alban  I  am  not  sure  that  I  might 
not  have  yielded  at  once,  for  she  became  suddenly  very 
winning  and  persuasive.  God  forgive  her,  she  knew 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

only  too  well  what  she  was  doing.  She  was  fully  aware 
that  Karl  was  a  rou£  and  a  debauche,  that  his  intrigues 
had  been  countless,  and  that  he  had  never  attempted  to 
curb  his  passions,  being  burdened  by  but  few  principles 
and  entirely  devoid  of  morality. 

He  was  for  the  time  being  madly  in  love  with  me,  but 
this  particular  brand  of  sentiment  was  not  of  a  nature 
to  attract  a  similar  feeling  in  the  very  pure  and  guileless 
heart  of  an  innocent  girl.  My  mother  could  not  help 
knowing  that  a  few  hours  would  suffice  to  open  my 
eyes  to  the  future  that  lay  before  me,  that  though  I  was 
barely  fifteen,  yet  my  girlhood  would  soon  be  crushed 
like  a  spring  blossom  torn  by  a  ruthless  hand.  She 
knew  decidedly  and  &  n'en  pas  dottier  what  I  would 
bind  myself  to,  and  she  could  not  fail  to  see  that  Karl's 
offer  of  marriage  was  the  result  of  a  fiery  and  unworthy 
passion — a  means  to  an  end — the  only  means  to  obtain 
the  prize  he  coveted. 

I  hardly  heard  her  finishing  sentences,  although  the 
last  words  thereof  aroused  me  from  the  deep  reverie  into 
which  I  had  allowed  myself  to  fall.  "To-night  you 
will  greet  Karl  as  your  fiance1/'  she  said,  as  she  rose 
from  her  chair,  indicating  by  this  that  the  interview  was 
brought  to  a  close  and  the  case  dismissed. 

"  I  am  sorry,  Matushka,"  I  said,  with  sudden  decision, 
"  but  this  is  impossible ;  I  am  engaged  to  Alban,  I  love 
him,  and  I  do  not  love  Karl." 

Oh!  the  look  of  boundless  scorn  which  she  gave  me, 
and  the  laugh  that  followed — low,  melodious,  a  silvery 
ripple  of  long-drawn-out  irony — making  me  tremble  as 
if  I  had  unexpectedly  been  struck  a  perfidious  blow 
between  the  shoulders. 

"Alban!"  The  word  contained  yet  more  insidious 
mockery  than  the  burst  of  mirthless  laughter.  "  Well, 
my  girl,  if  you  are  going  to  sacrifice  such  a  man  as 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

Karl  to  a  worthless  boy  admirer  who  has  by  this  time 
not  only  tired  of  you,  but  of  the  very  thought  of  you,  I 
cannot  say  much  for  your  powers  of  intellect." 

"Tired  of  me!"  I  repeated  in  dismay. 

"So  much  so,"  she  continued,  still  laughing,  "that 
he  is  going  to  marry  another  heiress,  an  English  beauty 
whom  he  met  and  fell  in  love  with  just  as  rapidly  as  he 
did  with  you.  Que  voulez-vous  ?  Ce  sont  les  hommes  qui 
sont  volages;  et  bien  fol  est  qui  s'y  fie  I" 

It  was  much  later  only  that  it  struck  me  as  strange 
that  my  mother  should  have  been  able  to  lay  her  hand 
with  such  convenient  a  propos  upon  the  slip  of  news- 
paper which  she  held  out  to  me  at  that  instant,  saying, 
in  the  same  little  sneering  way,  "  Here  is  your  proof, 
if  proof  there  need  be." 

For  a  moment  the  printed  lines  danced  before  my  eyes, 
blurred  by  a  queer,  misty,  shifting  twinkle.  Then  they 
grew  plainer  and  seemed  to  burn  before  me  as  if  they 
had  been  written  with  blood. 

"On  annonce  le  tres  prochain  mariage  de  Lady  Z. 
la  ravissante  fille  du  celebre  Diplomate  Anglais  Lord 
X.  avec  le  fils  du  Marquis  d'A.  Les  jeunes  gens  se 
sont  rencontres  cet  ete  dans  le  Midi  ou  Vheureux  fiance 
est  en  garnison,  et  ont  re$u  le  fameux  coup  de  foudre 
tant  vante  des  romanciers,"  etc.  The  trivial,  nauseat- 
ing journalistic  prose  proved  too  much  for  me,  and  I 
allowed  the  paper  to  flutter  from  my  nerveless  hand  to 
the  floor. 

Poor,  stupid,  easily  misled  child!  It  never  occurred 
to  me  that  this  was  a  case  of  mistaken  identity,  that 
the  "superiorly  informed"  journalist  meant  Alban's 
brother,  who  had  been  visiting  him,  although  I  was 
not  aware  of  this,  and  that  my  boy  was  true  to  me,  true 
as  steel,  while  my  mother  had  joyfully  pounced  upon 
this  piece  a  conviction  which  made  it  possible  for  her  to 

136 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

attain  at  a  bound  the  completion  of  her  so  cleverly 
laid  plans.  What  she  would  have  done  without  it,  I 
cannot  say.  But  probably,  being  given  the  many  re- 
sources of  her  brilliant  imagination,  she  would  no  doubt 
have  found  other  roads  to  success. 

At  any  rate,  she  must  have  thought  her  victory  an 
easy  one,  and  might  have  said  with  the  great  Napoleon, 
Rien  ne  reussit  comme  un  succes,  for  with  blazing  eyes, 
undimmed  by  the  faintest  suspicion  of  tears,  I  looked 
unflinchingly  at  her,  and  in  a  voice  so  absolutely  dis- 
cordant that  it  sounded  as  if  it  belonged  to  some  strange 
and  unknown  being,  I  said,  haughtily : 

"You  are  quite  right,  Matushka,  I  have  been  very 
sentimental  and  ridiculous.  I  am  ready  to  marry  Karl 
whenever  you  like,  to  marry  him  or  any  other  man  whom 
you  select  for  me,  so  long  as  I  can  marry  at  once,  and  put 
an  end  to  all  this — this — "  here  that  queer  new  voice 
broke  a  little,  and  I  shuddered — "  this  outrage!"  I  finally 
pronounced,  and  at  a  run  I  escaped  from  the  room,  never 
stopping  in  my  terrified  flight  until  I  reached  a  secluded 
thicket  at  the  end  of  the  garden,  where  I  flung  myself 
brutally  down  upon  the  ground. 

Of  the  hour  that  followed  I  have  no  clear  remem- 
brance. It  was  not  a  pleasant  one.  Torn  by  conflict- 
ing emotions,  I  heaped  bitter  reproaches  upon  my  mother 
at  one  moment  for  having  separated  me  from  Alban 
and  thus  brought  about  the  wrreck  of  all  my  hopes,  and 
the  next  I  commended  her  for  the  foresight  and  pru- 
dence that  had  spared  me  the  inconceivable  bitterness 
of  being  jilted.  "Ah!  mon  bel  ami,"  thought  I,  "you 
are  marrying  a  noble  heiress — less  noble  and  probably 
less  of  an  heiress  than  I  am  myself  —  but  I  need  not 
break  my  heart  over  such  a  trifle,  for  my  reply  to  your 
billet  de  faire  part  will,  by  my  own  marriage  announce- 
ment, bearing  a  name  coupled  with  mine  that  will  strike 

i37 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

"you"  with  some  astonishment.  And  then,  suddenly, 
helpless,  irresistible  tears  came  in  floods  to  my  relief, 
making  me  look  so  unlike  my  usual  self  that  when,  at 
last,  I  crept  home  to  dress  for  dinner  and  for  the  trying 
ordeal  which  was  to  come,  my  maid  held  up  her  hands 
in  indignant  horror  and  fell  to  weeping  herself,  out  of 
sheer  sympathy. 

Before  I  went  down-stairs — a  transformed  being,  clad 
with  exquisite  care  in  white  gauze — although  I  was  still 
ghastly  pale  and  preternaturally  serious,  every  outward 
trace  of  what  I  had  just  been  through  was  effaced.  I  had 
coldly  and  solemnly  drawn  Alban's  emerald  ring  from 
my  finger,  and  had  carefully  locked  it  away  in  a  secret 
recess  of  my  jewel-case.  Hardly  had  I  performed  this 
cruelly  painful  little  ceremony  when  a  footman  knocked 
at  the  door  and  placed  in  Marie's  hands  an  enormous 
white  bouquet  and  an  oval  package  tied  with  snowy 
satin  ribbons. 

Without  a  single  thrill  of  pleasure  or  curiosity  I  laid 
the  flowers  on  the  bed  and  pulled  the  parcel  open.  It 
contained  a  white  velvet  box  wherein  lay  fifteen  rows 
of  matchless  pearls,  as  big  as  hazel-nuts,  and  a  card  on 
which  was  written  in  French:  "I  send,  with  my  ten- 
derest  gratitude  and  my  eternal  love  and  reverence, 
pearls  to  my  priceless  pearl.  Wear  them,  for  my  sake, 
as  a  symbol  of  the  chains  that  henceforth  bind  me  to 
you.— KARL." 

Poor  Marie's  eyes  were  distended  with  amazed  ad- 
miration as  she  timidly  touched  these  royal  gems. 
"  Plus  belles  que  celles  de  votre  maman,  cent  fois  plus 
belles,  ma  petite  cherie,"  she  murmured,  rapturously, 
attempting  to  clasp  them  about  my  neck.  I  pushed  her 
off,  petulantly.  "  Drop  these — chains ! "  I  said,  somewhat 
incoherently.  "  I  will  wear  them  on  my  wedding-day,  for  I 
am  going  to  be  married  very  soon.  Aren't  you  pleased  1" 

138 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

Marie  looked  at  me  with  stupefaction.  "Married?" 
she  echoed;  "my  little  white  lamb,  are  you  joking? 
Married,  and  to  whom?  To  Monsieur  Alban?  Is  he 
coming  here?" 

"Monsieur  Alban,  forsooth!  how  little  you  know  me, 
ma  bonne  fille.  No,  not  to  a  brainless,  heartless  baby 
like  him." 

"Surely,"  she  whispered,  her  face  blanching  and 
her  hand  grasping  my  arm  almost  violently — "surely 
you  are  not  going  to  marry — that — that — " 

"Hush,  Marie!"  I  interrupted,  severely,  and  with  a 
firmness  which  had  never  as  yet  been  mine.  "  I  am  en- 
gaged, and  I  will  soon  be  married,  as  I  tell  you,  and  I 
will  be  ever  so  mighty  a  personage,  and  if  you  behave 
very  nicely  I  will  take  you  away  with  me  to  live  in  my 
palaces  and  castles  and  villas,  and  on  my  yachts,  too." 

"  Bon  Dieu  I  Sainte  Vierge  Marie,  ma  bonne  pa- 
tronne !  Prenez-nous  en  piti&,  ma  petite  fille  est  devenue 
folle  1"  muttered  the  astounded  woman,  crossing  herself 
devoutly  to  keep  away  the  evil  spirits  which  in  her 
opinion  had  taken  up  their  abode  in  my  brain. 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders,  irritated  at  her  astonish- 
ment; but,  suddenly  seized  with  remorse,  I  flung  my 
arms  about  her,  roughly  kissed  her  on  both  cheeks,  and 
fled  down-stairs  without  waiting  to  hear  more. 

I  paused  to  recover  my  breath  in  the  central  hall, 
which  wore  a  very  festive  appearance  and  was  gayly 
decorated  with  flowering  plants.  "  Ca  commence  bien," 
I  thought,  bitterly.  "  Allons  y  gaiement !"  and  then  I 
made  my  way  to  the  drawing-room,  which  was  filled 
with  an  admirably  selected  gathering  of  guests — Le 
dessus  du  panier!  la  creme  de  la  creme  I  la  fteur  des  pois ! 
in  one  word.  There  was  a  murmur  of  congratulation 
as  I  entered,  and  the  pride  which  was  second  nature  to  me 
stood  me  in  good  stead  and  held  me  upright  and 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

smiling,   while  I  was  receiving  compliments  and  fe- 
licitations. 

Karl  was  at  my  side,  but  said  not  a  word.  For  the 
first  time  I  saw  him  looking  serious,  and  this  gravity 
pleased  me  far  better  than  could  have  any  protestations 
or  effusiveness.  The  dinner  seemed  interminable.  I 
was  silent  during  its  whole  wearisome  length,  and  ate 
nothing.  Karl  had  the  supreme  tact  to  say  very  little 
to  me.  Once  only  he  bent  his  handsome  head  and  mur- 
mured so  that  nobody  else  could  hear  what  he  whis- 
pered: 

"You  have  made  me  supremely  happy,  Marguerite. 
The  devotion  of  a  lifetime  will  be  as  nothing  to  repay 
you  for  your  generous  consent  to  my  heart's  greatest 
desire."  I  gave  him  a  rapid,  beseeching  glance,  and 
he  immediately  turned  to  his  neighbor,  Grand-Duchess 
A.,  and  entered  into  a  lively  conversation  with  her. 

When  all  the  guests  had  taken  their  departure  save 
Karl  he  clasped  both  my  hands  within  his  own  and 
kissed  them  passionately. 

"I  thank  you,"  he  murmured  with  evident  emotion. 
"  I  told  you  the  simple  truth  when  I  said  that  you  had 
made  me  supremely  happy.  I  wish  you  to  be  happy, 
too,  Marguerite,  to  enjoy  life  while  you  can,  and  to  leave 
grave  thoughts  and  grave  cares  for  older  years.  You 
look  very  serious,  my  little  child.  But  you  are  tired 
now.  Go  and  shut  your  pretty  eyes  and  sleep  the  sleep 
of  youth  and  of  love  !" 

My  mother,  resplendent  in  pearl-hued  velvet,  point  de 
Venise,  and  sapphires,  smiled  a  little  triumphantly  as 
she  heard  him.  She  had  landed  her  big  fish,  and  it 
pleased  her  to  see  it  glitter  at  the  end  of  the  hook. 

"Have  I  your  permission  to  give  your  daughter  her 
engagement  ring?"  he  asked  her,  with  one  of  his  inimi- 
table bows. 

140 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

" Faites  done,  mon  cher,"  she  replied;  "c'est  votre 
droit,  vous  pouvez  meme  I'embrasser,  si  ions  y  tenez." 

Involuntarily  I  drew  back.  My  mother's  flippancy 
and  slight,  mocking  smile  enraged  me,  and  Karl's  calm 
and  courtly  answer  made  him  rise  at  once  surpassingly 
in  my  esteem. 

"  J'y  Hens,  madame,  croyez-le,  mais  pas  comme  cela, 
a  son  heure." 

I  hardly  noticed  the  scintillating  half-hoop  of  marvel- 
lous diamonds  which  he  slipped  on  my  finger,  for  "in 
petto  "  I  was  thinking,  "  I  can  surely  be  as  generous  as 
he,"  and  unhesitatingly  I  lifted  my  face  to  his!  A  deep 
flush  spread  over  his  features,  his  arms  encircled  me, 
and  he  closed  my  eyes  with  his  lips. 

"  Vous  etes  un  petit  amour,  ma  cherie,"  he  whispered, 
as  he  released  me. 

Of  the  six  weeks  that  followed  there  is  little  to  say. 
I  felt  sometimes  like  a  child  who  stands  in  the  bewilder- 
ment of  too  many  New  Year's  presents,  for  wedding- 
gifts  were  pouring  in  upon  me  from  every  corner  of 
Europe;  splendid,  sparkling,  magnificent,  undeniably 
welcome  presents,  for  I  cannot  deny  that  I  loved  jewels, 
and  my  days  were  a  perpetual  round  of  fetes.  We  had 
left  Baden,  and  wrere  in  Paris  at  our  solemn  old  residence 
in  the  Faubourg.  Lengthy  councils  with  famous  cou- 
turiers took  up  a  great  deal  of  my  time.  Soon  I  would 
journey  to  my  fiance's  own  land,  where  our  marriage 
was  to  take  place,  and  my  mother  declared  that  it  was 
impossible  for  us  to  go  back  to  Brittany  before  that  early 
date.  I  had  not  heard  from  Alban  again.  His  em- 
erald still  lay  in  the  secret  drawer  of  my  coffret  a  bijoux, 
for,  with  a  feeling  of  jealousy  and  vindictiveness  quite 
unusual  to  me,  I  would  not  for  a  moment  entertain  the 
idea  of  returning  it  to  him.  The  "  English  beauty  and 
heiress  "  had,  I  thought,  long  ere  this  been  provided  with 

141 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

another  gem  taken  from  the  collection  of  the  long  dead 
Marquise.  This  ring  was  mine.  And  though  I  would 
now  never  wear  it,  neither  should  anybody  else.  I  had 
my  hours  of  discouragement — many  of  them — when  I 
silently  but  bitterly  reproached  my  mother  for  taking 
me  away  from  Alban,  as  she  had  done.  "  Poor  boy/' 
I  would  then  think,  "he  grew  tired  of  waiting."  For 
it  seemed  to  me,  indeed,  that  years,  instead  of  months, 
had  elapsed  since  that  glorious  autumn  night  when  he 
had  told  me  of  his  love.  At  those  moments  the  very 
touch  of  my  mother's  hand,  her  smile,  her  voice,  her 
every  gesture,  maddened  me,  and  I  looked  at  her  so 
strangely  and  hostilely  that  she  would  fall  into  her  old 
habit  of  scolding  me,  and  used  to  tell  me  that  I  was  fa- 
rouche, une  enfant  terrible,  etc. ,  etc. ,  etc. 

I  knew  very  well  that  I  did  not  love  Karl.  I  was 
touched  and  flattered  by  his  countless  and  unceasing 
attentions,  and  often  taxed  myself  with  ingratitude  for 
giving  him  so  little  in  return.  He  was  an  ideal  fiance, 
always  in  a  sunny  mood,  always  ready  to  say  or  do  a 
graceful  thing;  but  the  divine  spark  was  missing  from 
our  intercourse,  and  instinctively  I  felt  this. 

One  day,  when  we  were  stepping  from  the  carriage 
in  the  Rue  de  la  Paix,  before  a  famous  jeweller's,  we 
came  face  to  face  with  Alban's  father.  I  felt  myself 
growing  as  pale  as  a  ghost,  while  my  mother,  on  the 
contrary,  and  much  to  my  surprise,  flushed  scarlet. 
The  stately  old  man  raised  his  hat  in  profound  saluta- 
tion, and,  in  spite  of  her  obvious  desire  to  avoid  talking 
to  him,  she  could  not  do  otherwise  than  speak  a  few 
words  of  greeting. 

With  an  audacious  and  dazzling  smile,  she  remarked 
hurriedly : 

"  I  must  congratulate  you  on  your  son's  approaching 
wedding ;  I  hear  that  he  is  very  happy." 

142 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

The  Marquis  bowed  stiffly.  "  I  may,  I  presume,  offer 
my  own  congratulations  in  return/'  he  said,  coldly. 
"Marguerite  is  certainly  fulfilling  your  highest  ambi- 
tions." 

The  stern,  slightly  contemptuous  look  in  his  eyes 
galled  me.  What  did  he  mean  by  speaking  like  that, 
when  it  was  he  who  should  have  felt  both  ashamed  and 
uncomfortable?  This  utterly  confounded  me. 

"Marguerite  is  a  good  child,"  drawled  my  mother, 
placing  a  caressing  hand  on  my  shoulder. 

"And  a  very  happy  one,"  I  interrupted  boldly,  al- 
though there  was  a  big  lump  in  my  throat  and  an 
agonizing  sensation  at  my  heart. 

Again  he  bowed  in  the  same  uncompromising,  icy 
fashion.  "Your  assurance  thereof  is  very  pleasing  to 
hear,  but — "  Here  my  mother  interrupted  him  with 
a  rudeness  which  I  had  never  known  her  to  render 
herself  guilty  of  before : 

"  Marguerite,  we  must  not  keep  the  Marquis  standing 
thus  bareheaded  in  this  keen  wind,"  and  with  a  regal 
inclination  of  her  lovely  head  she  drew  me  abruptly 
into  the  great  and  superb  shop,  the  door  of  which  had 
during  this  colloquy  been  patiently  held  open  by  her 
footman. 

What  would  have  occurred  had  the  Marquis  been  al- 
lowed to  finish  his  sentence?  I  have  often  thought  of 
that.  The  misunderstanding  would  have  been  cleared 
up,  no  doubt,  and  my  faith  in  Alban  would  have  been 
restored,  but  was  it  not  too  late  to  break  off  my  mar- 
riage, and,  even  if  this  had  been  possible,  would  my 
mother — nay,  even  my  guardian,  enraged  though  he 
was  at  the  present  state  of  affairs — have  faced  the  scan- 
dal of  such  a  rupture? 

Who  shall  probe  the  mystery  of  the  past,  who  shall 
say  "  this  should  have  been  "  ?  Wiser  heads  than  mine, 

-143 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A    PRINCESS 

at  any  rate.  For  even  to-day,  when  most  veils  have 
been  torn  asunder,  when  I  know  that  my  mother  will- 
ingly misdirected  and  ruined  my  life,  and  became  as 
surely  Alban's  murderess  as  if  she  had  killed  him  with 
her  own  hand,  I  do  not  feel  that  I  am  in  a  position  to 
judge. 

A  year  later  I  was  present  at  a  state  ball  in  the  Salle 
des  Palmiers  in  St.  Petersburg.  Never  before  had  I 
felt  so  burdened  with  uneasiness  and  forebodings.  Yet 
no  night  had  ever  quite  equalled  this  one  for  me,  as  far 
as  social  triumphs  are  concerned.  Outside  the  world  was 
white,  for  it  was  the  beginning  of  the  cruel  Northern  win- 
ter. Across  one-half  the  heavens  there  was  outspread 
the  glory  of  the  aurora  borealis.  And  as  we  sat  at 
supper  in  a  veritable  bower  of  flowers  and  verdure  the 
rosy  glow  of  this  choicest  and  most  fairy-like  of  all 
nature's  phenomena  shimmered  through  the  lace  of  the 
window  curtains.  I  shall  never  forget  that  night,  for 
it  was  then  that  I  heard  of  his  death — a  death  met  on 
the  battle-field  in  the  burning  sand  of  the  Algerian  des- 
ert, just  like  the  one  dealt  to  that  other  man  so  dear  to 
me,  Charles,  Comte  d'A. 

I  received  one  letter  from  his  father — only  one,  thank 
God!  A  harsh,  bitter,  unrelenting  letter,  and  cruelly 
unjust,  too.  But  he  did  not  know,  poor  broken-hearted 
man,  that  my  share  in  all  this  was  only  one  of  inexpe- 
rience and  ignorance. 

"  Alban  is  dead.  He  died,  as  they  tell  me,  the  death 
of  a  soldier,"  wrote  the  relentless  father;  "but  I  know 
better  than  that !  Before  the  world  you  may  be  wholly 
blameless,  but  yet  it  is  you  who  killed  him.  Indirectly, 
even  directly  in  a  manner,  you  were  the  cause  of  his 
leaving  country,  family,  home,  to  seek  release  from  the 
pain  which  he  was  not  brave  enough  to  live  down.  I 
feel  that  his  blood  is  upon  your  hands.  He  sought 

144 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A  PRINCESS 

death  and  he  found  it  from  an  enemy's  sword — or  other- 
wise, on  your  account  I" 

Exaggerated  as  this  accusation  was,  it  hurt  me  as 
much  as  if  it  had  all  been  true,  but  I  never  tried  to  clear 
myself  in  the  eyes  of  the  bereaved,  hard  old  man,  &  quoi 
bonl 

Who  deserved  most  pity,  I  thought  at  times — Alban 
or  I? 

"  Oh !  no,  that  is  not  death  which  death  we  call 
When  on  the  coffin  clods  of  earth  do  fall ; 
That  is  not  death,  when  o'er  us  shadows  creep 
And,  mouldering,  we  are  laid  in  endless  sleep, 
Nor  call  that  death,  when  for  us  others  shed 
True  tears  or  false,  over  our  narrow  beds. 
Ah  I  that  is  death,  and  that  is  death  alone, 
When  we  our  own  existence  do  bemoan  1" 


CHAPTER  IX 

"  Flower,  white  daughter  of  the  day-spring  fair, 
The  dew's  sweet  pensioner,  ere  rise  of  sun 
By  some  rude  hand  and  careless,  all  fordone — 
Flung  bruised  and  broken  in  the  highway  there !" 

"  YOU  are  a  stranger  child  than  even  I  thought.  You 
have  no  adaptability,  no  monde.  You  look  scornful 
and  unsympathetic  excepting  where  animals  and  beg- 
gars are  concerned.  You  make  me  ashamed  of  you 
— you  are  such  a  dreamer,  such  an  idealist,  and  so 
very  illogical  withal!  Je  desesperfr  de  vous  complete- 
ment,  ma  ch&re!  Vous  §tes  stupide,  et  vous  le  faites 
exprts!" 

My  mother  yawned  daintily,  rose  from  her  chair, 
and  glided  towards  a  long  side-table  upon  which  were 
heaped  numberless  wedding-gifts  which 'she  gazed  at 
approvingly. 

"You  are  neither  gracious  nor  graceful.  Sometimes 
you  are,  I  might  say,  downright  ungainly.  Yet  grace 
is  what  a  woman  needs  most  of  all.  It  is  one  of  the 
few  qualities  I  pride  myself  upon  possessing,  but,  alas  ! 
one  cannot  say  of  us,  Mater  pulchra,  filia  pulchrior  1" 

I  glanced  at  my  mother,  at  her  queenly  figure,  with 
grace  noticeable  in  every  movement,  and  yet  a  sort  of 
disgust  rilled  my  heart.  "Honor  thy  father  and  thy 
mother" — the  old,  old  law.  How  easy  it  had  been, 
and  was  still,  and  how  natural  to  honor  my  father,  to 
whom  honor  of  the  highest  kind  was  always  due  1  But 
my  mother — ! 

146 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

A  shudder  ran  through  me,  and  involuntarily  I  thought 
that  she  was  selfish  and  cruel  beyond  words. 

Her  merciless,  melodious  voice  broke  upon  the  silence. 

"  There  is  a  lacune  somewhere  about  you,  Marguerite. 
I  really  have  little  reason  for  being  proud  of  you.  I  had 
hoped  that  the  result  of  my  teachings,  actions  and  ex- 
ample, would  have  a  different  effect.  I  have  secured  a 
magnificent  position  for  you — my  first  duty  as  a  mother 
— and  if  you  are  not  content  you  are  positively  offending 
Heaven." 

"  I  am  sorry  to  be  so  great  a  disappointment  to  you," 
I  interrupted,  unable  to  bear  this  any  longer.  "You 
know  perfectly  well  that  I  am  not  like  other  girls,  that  I 
am  like  nobody  else  in  fact.  And  if  there  be  a  lacune 
in  my  nature,  it  is  none  of  my  own  making.  When 
you  separated  me  from  Alban  I  think  you  destroyed  all 
my  chances  of  real  happiness  and  of  true  womanliness. 
I  loved  him  dearly,  tenderly,  absolutely —  "  She  fairly 
stamped  her  foot.  "  Hold  your  tongue,"  she  exclaimed, 
harshly;  "are  you  mad?  A  baby  like  you,  to  talk  of 
love!  Really,  you  are  too  ridiculous!  Your  heroics 
do  not  become  a  great  lady  !  Alban,  forsooth !  What 
next,  indeed?  A  lad  of  twenty -one,  with  a  miserable 
pittance  of  a  couple  of  hundred  thousand  francs'  income 
to  sustain  the  glory  of  his  marquisate,  when  he  inherits 
it,  and  who  now  is  a  subaltern  in  a  cavalry  regiment 
with  a  hale  and  hearty  father,  and  an  elder  brother 
who  will  very  probably  outlive  him  and  have  many 
children,  just  as  in  the  fairy  stories.  So  this  insane 
idea  is  still  in  your  head,  Madame  la  Vicomtesse !  You 
little  idiot,  mooning  about  with  your  Romeo  from  gar- 
rison to  garrison,  ce  traineur  de  sabre,  possessed  of  a 
face  like  a  cameo  and  of  an  allowance  of  ten  thousand 
francs  to  cut  a  figure  with — Tons  mes  compliments!" 

"That  is  enough,  mother!"  I  said,  with  rising  passion 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

in  my  voice,  and,  without  giving  her  time  to  retaliate,  I 
ran  out  of  her  boudoir. 

I  went  to  my  own  room  and  locked  the  door.  Then 
throwing  myself  on  the  bed,  I  lay  there  for  a  long  time, 
face  downwards,  struggling  with  my  feelings,  which 
were  not  enviable  or  pleasant. 

A  few  hours  later  my  maid  came  to  dress  me  for  the 
dinner  and  soiree  de  control.  I  was  to  wear  my  first 
long  dress  that  night,  a  cloud  of  pale  -  pink  moire  silk 
and  gauze,  with  showers  of  apple-blossoms  nestling 
everywhere. 

A  sense  of  unreality  had  come  upon  me.  My  nerves 
were  tingling  curiously,  and  my  usually  colorless  face 
was  slightly  flushed.  Marie's  eyes  were  red  and 
swollen  with  weeping,  and  this  irritated  me  beyond 
measure.  Why  should  she  cry  over  me?  I  disliked 
always  to  be  pitied.  And  why  also  should  she  pity 
me  ?  Why  ?  Why  ?  Why  ?  As  she  braided  my 
long  hair  she  hurt  me  once  or  twice,  for  her  hands 
were  trembling.  Nervous  and  exasperated,  I  cried, 
"Be  more  careful,  Marie;  you  are  positively  idiotic  to- 
night!" The  words  were  hardly  out  of  my  mouth  when 
a  stinging  slap  marked  my  cheek  with  four  slender 
white  bars.  My  mother  had  entered  unnoticed.  She 
was  clad  in  all  the  glory  of  full  court  dress,  and  sparkled 
with  jewels  from  her  head  to  the  tips  of  her  satin-shod 
feet. 

"Be  good  enough  to  beg  Marie's  pardon,"  she 
said,  calmly.  "To-morrow  you  will  be  your  own 
mistress,  but  to-day  you  are  still  under  my  control, 
and  I  cannot  permit  my  servants  to  be  treated  like 
dogs." 

Tears  of  mortification  welled  up  in  my  eyes.  I  was 
awfully  fond  of  Marie  and  of  all  the  other  members  of 
the  household.  And  though  the  indignity  of  the  pun* 

148  - 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

ishment  was  perhaps  greater  than  the  offence,  still  I  felt 
that  it  was  deserved,  and,  moreover,  my  mother's  strik- 
ing— if  I  may  be  forgiven  so  execrable  a  pun — reproofs 
were  nothing  new  to  me.  Poor  Marie,  in  her  dismay, 
burst  into  a  fresh  flood  of  tears,  when  I  threw  my  arms 
about  her  neck  and  kissed  her,  humbly  begging  her  to 
overlook  my  fortunately  unusual  and  unseemly  be- 
havior. It  was  evident  that  she  was  filled  with  indig- 
nation at  being  the  involuntary  cause  of  my  humilia- 
tion, and  when  my  irate  parent  had  taken  herself  and 
her  gorgeousness  away,  the  faithful  soul  went  down 
on  her  knees  and  kissed  my  hands,  wetting  them  with 
her  tears,  and  calling  me  Un  pauvre  petite  ange  mal- 
traite,  une  petite  sainte,  and  goodness  only  knows  what 
other  names  of  endearment  which  I  was  sorry  I  deserved 
so  little. 

I  sat  through  the  banquet  that  night  like  one  in  a 
dream,  feeling  all  eyes  upon  me,  but  quite  indifferent 
even  to  the  remarks  made  about  my  extreme  pallor. 
Karl  was  very  attentive,  yet  he  acted  during  the  whole 
trying  ordeal  with  the  tact  and  dignity  which,  when  he 
chose,  he  knew  so  well  how  to  assume. 

Tired  out  and  still  dazed  by  so  much  novelty,  I  finally 
retired,  was  undressed,  and  went  to  bed  with  a  sigh  of 
pleasure  at  being  left  alone  at  last.  It  was  midnight, 
and  I  was  very  sleepy.  But  as  soon  as  I  touched  the 
cool  pillows  I  grew  strangely  wide-awake  and  lay 
watching  the  moonbeams  filtering  through  the  tall 
stained-glass  windows,  and  pondering  over  Marie's  last 
words  before  leaving  my  room.  "  Mon  pauvre  petite 
ange,  c'est  votre  derniere  nuit  de  tranquilite.  Que  Dieu 
vous  prenne  en  pitie,"  she  had  said  while  arranging  the 
coverlet  over  me. 

Why  should  God,  too,  take  pity  on  me?  "  Ma  pauvre 
vieille  Bretonne,"  I  mused,  "she  is  so  very  mysterious. 

149 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

We  all  are  in  Brittany.     Dear  Brittany,  I  wish  I  were 
there  now!" 

And  then  I  lay  quite  still,  my  eyes  fixed  on  the  tinted 
moonbeams,  my  hands  clasped,  and  my  mind  wander- 
ing in  a  maze  of  future  pleasures,  including  the  pos- 
session of  all  that  position  and  wealth  could  bring 
— superb  horses.,  great  jewels,  and  acres  of  glass-houses 
filled  with  millions  of  flowers.  I  thought  of  Karl,  too, 
a  great  deal.  He  was  singularly  handsome;  of  that 
there  could  be  no  doubt.  And  he  was  very  fond  of  me ; 
at  least  he  seemed  to  take  a  peculiar  delight  in  being 
near  me,  and  his  eyes  followed  me  everywhere  with 
a  persistent,  glittering,  hungry  look  which  must  be,  I 
thought,  the  sign  of  a  great  love.  Alban  had  never 
looked  at  me  like  that.  His  gaze  was  soft  and  tender 
and  melting,  but,  of  course,  he  was  so  much  younger 
— a  mere  boy.  And  now  I  must  forget  him,  so  my  moth- 
er had  said.  I  must;  and  I  could  never,  never  see  him 
again.  A  little  dry  sob  rose  in  my  throat.  I  turned 
violently  over,  buried  my  face  in  my  unbound  hair,  and 
after  a  long  time  went  to  sleep  —  the  deep,  dreamless 
sleep  of  childhood. 

On  the  next  night  our  marriage  was  celebrated  with 
all  the  pomp  and  splendor  that  a  brilliant  court  could 
lend  to  such  nuptials.  The  weight  of  my  cloth-of-silver 
manteau  de  cour  and  of  my  jewels  made  me  feel  faint. 
The  myriads  of  lights,  the  overpowering  perfume  of 
exotics,  the  solemn  roll  of  the  organ,  gave  me  a  sensa- 
tion of  dizziness  to  which  I  had  never  before  been  sub- 
ject. From  beneath  the  drooping  folds  of  my  bridal 
veil  I  glanced  once  or  twice  at  Karl  kneeling  beside  me  on 
his  velvet  prie-dieu.  He  looked  strangely  to  his  advan- 
tage in  his  brilliant  uniform.  His  face  was  unlike  any  I 
had  ever  seen.  To  me  it  was  full  of  mystery,  and  I  was 
always  attracted  by  mystery.  Ah!  had  I  but  known! 

150 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

He  interested  me,  moreover,  with  that  subtlest  of 
flatteries,  the  appearance  of  an  all-absorbing  adoration, 
extremely  gratifying  to  a  little  thing  who  had  been 
so  oft  humiliated  as  myself. 

Immediately  after  the  ceremony  we  left  for  Italy, 
stopping  on  the  way  at  a  wonderful  castle  built  in 
the  middle  of  a  clear  blue  lake — a  lake  which  was  flooded 
with  moonlight  when  we  arrived,  and  looked  like  a 
huge  mirror,  where  the  encircling  trees  and  plants  cast 
lace-like  shadows  disturbed  now  and  again  by  the  state- 
ly motions  of  some  grand  and  imposing-looking  snow- 
white  swans  gliding  easily  and  with  singular  dignity 
on  the  calm  bosom  of  the  water.  The  whole  picture 
was  like  fairy-land. 

The  profound  peace  and  serenity  of  that  early  autumn 
night  seemed  to  fall  upon  me  like  a  mantle,  and  I  gazed 
at  the  glistening  lake  rapturously,  at  the  carved  and 
ivy-grown  walls  of  the  beautiful  building  whence  a  sub- 
dued light  of  a  soft  roseate  tint  shone  through  rows  of 
mullioned  casements.  The  pinnacles  and  towers  and 
the  high  steep  roofs  gleamed  as  if  some  magician's 
cunning  hand  had  modelled  them  from  purest  silver. 
This  was  a  place  indeed  where  lovers  could  live  out  a 
dream  such  as  all  lovers  long  to  dream.  But,  alas  for 
poor  Amorino,  what  a  disappointment !  What  sore  dis- 
tress !  What  pathetic  and  rough  awakening  was  to.1 
be  his  portion,  if  he  were  really  slumbering  while  await- 
ing us  under  those  verdure-wreathed  eaves  !  He  was 
to  be  rudely  shaken,  sent  forever  on  a  hurried,  terrified 
flight — as  far  as  I  was  concerned  at  least — his  tender 
eyes  ruefully  filled  with  bitter  tears. 

As  we  passed  through  the  ranks  of  bowing  servants, 
no  foreboding  of  coming  evil  overshadowed  my  mind. 
To  me,  marriage  was  nothing  but  a  mystic  union,  and  I 
went  to  encounter  my  fate  with  as  innocent  a  faith  as  if 

151 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A  PRINCESS 

I  had  merely  undertaken  a  long  pleasure  trip  around 
a  new  world,  with  a  delightfully  devoted  and  affectionate 
companion. 

If  any  human  creature  made  of  flesh  and  blood  can 
ever  be  absolutely  pure,  I  was  then  as  pure  as  the  un- 
trodden snow  of  a  mountain  summit,  in  my  absolute 
ignorance  of  the  dark  passions  of  life  and  of  their  terrible 
realities  which  le  commun  des  mortels  endeavor  to  glorify 
by  lending  to  them  the  very  misleading  denomination 
of  love. 

There  had  not  as  yet  been  enough  in  Karl's  caresses  to 
enlighten  me  as  to  the  demands  of  this  so-called  love. 
He  had  been  to  me  a  Prince  Charming,  courtly  and  def- 
erential to  the  utmost  degree.  He  had  treated  me  like 
some  fragile  and  precious  statuette  which  the  slightest 
touch  might  break  and  destroy.  Figuratively  speak- 
ing, as  well  as  otherwise,  he  had  knelt  at  my  feet,  and 
the  sensation  was  a  very  charming  and  novel  one  to 
me,  ou  je  ne  voyais  pas  malice ! 

When  we  were  left  alone  he  kissed  my  hands  with  as 
much  ceremony  as  if  twenty  people  had  been  present. 
I  smiled  up  at  him  and  then  at  the  great  room  where  we 
stood.  The  latter  had  preserved  in  all  its  integrity  the 
charm  and  splendor  of  by -gone  days,  with  its  cedar 
walls  and  ceiling,  embossed  and  gilded  and  painted, 
its  pale  satin  hangings  and  deeply  embayed  windows. 
Masses  of  camellias,  azaleas,  and  orange  blossoms 
had  been  brought  there  to  make  the  whole  place  bloom 
like  an  Oriental  garden,  and  on  the  porphyry  hearth  a 
fire  burned  gayly,  adding  its  warmth  and  brilliancy  to 
the  whole  perfect  mise  en  scene.  On  a  small  table  lay  a 
dainty  supper,  the  dishes  and  plates  and  flagons  nestling 
among  marguerites  and  faintly  tinted  roses. 

"Are  you  hungry,  my  lady  love?"  said  Karl,  half 
seriously,  half  mockingly,  snatching  up  a  napkin  and 

152 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

tucking  it  under  his  arm  in  regulation-waiter  fashion. 
"I  am  but  the  humblest  of  your  servants,  and  would 
fain  serve  you  even  as  a  slave  does  his  august  and 
revered  mistress.  It  is  for  you  to  command,  for  me 
to  obey." 

I  laughed,  a  merry,  careless  laugh,  crinkling  up  my 
eyes  in  sheer  fun,  and  making  a  little  mischievous  gri- 
mace. "  C'est  bien,  monseignenr,"  I  rejoined,  "mettons- 
nous  &  table,  esclave  et  maitresse,  dans  une  touchante 
egalite ;  venez." 

He  bent  his  blue  eyes  upon  me,  perplexed,  no  doubt, 
and  vaguely  astonished  at  such  unconquerable  guile- 
lessness  and  stupidity  on  my  part.  Then  his  regard 
acquired  an  eloquence  both  fiery  and  impatient;  it  be- 
came dull  and  fierce  and  sullen,  and  suddenly  the  feel- 
ing came  over  me  that  some  horrible  and  unexpected 
abyss  yawned  at  my  feet.  My  pulses  fluttered  strange- 
ly, and  I  drew  instinctively  back  with  a  sensation  of 
unnerving  fear  and  terror,  of  which  I  was  instantly 
ashamed. 

With  much  contrition,  I  laid  my  hand  on  his  arm  and 
murmured,  "Are  you  angry?  What  have  I  done  to 
vex  you?" 

"Nothing,"  he  replied,  nervously,  plucking  at  his 
long,  fair  mustache.  "Nothing,  my  dear;  how  could 
you  anger  me?" 

The  chilly  sensation  increased;  I  turned  from  the 
table  and  looked  abstractedly  into  the  leaping  flames. 

"You  are  tired,"  murmured  Karl,  "I  will  call  your 
women.  Au  revoir !"  and  brusquely  he  left  me. 

I  seemed  turned  to  stone.  I  did  not  heed  the  rapid 
process  of  being  undressed.  My  customary  cold  bath 
revived  me  a  little,  but  I  thrilled  through  all  my  nerves 
and  looked  about  me  as  if  the  great  chamber  where  my 
attendants  left  me  alone  was  haunted. 

153 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

As  on  the  previous  night,  the  moonbeams  streamed  in 
through  lofty  painted  casements.  The  pink  light  of  a 
night-lamp  fell  on  my  snowy  bridal  bouquet,  and  I  felt 
lost  in  the  immense  bed,  with  its  heavy  brocade  canopy, 
its  perfumed  sheets  and  lace-covered  pillows. 

I  sat  up,  my  long  batiste  garment  fastened  at  the 
throat  by  a  knot  of  orange  buds,  falling  around  me  like 
a  shroud.  I  pushed  my  braids  back  by  a  familiar  gest- 
ure and  listened.  The  waters  of  the  lake  below  the 
windows  lazily  lapping  the  base  of  the  castle,  the  mur- 
mur of  the  gentle  breeze  in  the  foliage — that  was  all 
I  heard.  Then  the  door  was  softly  pushed  open  and 
Karl  entered. 

"What  is  it?"  I  cried— "what  has  happened?" 

He  smiled  a  reassuring  smile  and  quietly  came  tow- 
ards me. 

"I  have  come  to  bid  you  good-night,  my  little  wife/' 
he  said,  in  a  queer,  vibrating  voice  that  was  new  to  me. 
"  I  am  your  husband  now.  I  have  a  right  to  love  you, 
and  to  tell  you  so." 

I  remained  mute.  My  heart  was  beating  to  suffoca- 
tion, and  I  would  have  given  everything  I  possessed  to 
run  away. 

"I  do  love  you,  and  you  are  mine!"  he  exclaimed, 
and,  with  a  savage  gesture  of  triumph,  he  took  me  in 
his  arms. 

Marriages  are  made  in  heaven !  Marriage  is  a  sacred 
institution,  a  holy  bond.  God  save  the  mark ! 

And  what  about  a  childhood  perished  in  a  night? 
What  of  an  innocence  killed  and  buried  forevermore? 
Is  that  also  heaven  made,  preordered,  praiseworthy? 

The  sin  of  my  mother  against  me  rankled  in  my  heart. 
Why  had  she  not  warned  me?  why  had  she  allowed  me 
to  be  thus  sold  in  bondage,  blindly  and  not  knowing 
what  I  did? 

i54 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

Too  proud  to  complain,  too  astounded,  too  debased  in 
my  own  eyes  to  seek  even  the  comfort  of  religion,  I  fought 
alone  and  silently,  with  my  repulsion,  my  disgust,  my 
unvanquishable  fear,  my  pain,  and  my  disillusion, 
looking  back  wistfully  to  the  past,  looking  forward 
hopelessly  to  the  future.  My  heart  had  surely  turned 
to  marble,  and  yet  there  was  life  enough  left  in  it  for  me 
to  hate  Karl  with  a  furious,  all-absorbing  hatred — to 
despise  all  men  and  to  abhor  all  women.  And,  God  of 
mercy!  I  was  as  yet  but  fifteen  and  three  months!  I 
had  a  horror  of  myself,  too,  yet  I  could  not  escape  from 
myself.  Amid  the  to  me  loathsome  magnificence  that 
surrounded  me  I  yearned  for  the  peaceful,  hazy  shores 
of  Brittany,  for  the  fresh,  pure,  clean  existence  which 
was  lost  to  me  forever  now.  I  never  wept  nor  wailed  ; 
but  the  violent  coloring,  the  penetrating  perfumes,  the 
noble  sights  of  Italy  nauseated  me,  and  the  whole  world 
seemed  to  have  become  a  shameful  Inferno,  I  was  a 
child  no  more!  I  had  become  an  imbittered,  sorrowing 
woman,  and,  like  Mignon,  I  longed  for  my  lost  child- 
hood and  my  own  land. 

"  Ah !  commas  les  vieux  airs  qu'pn  chantait  a  douze  ans 
Frappent  droit  dans  le  coeur  aux  heures  de  souffrance! 
Comme  ils  devorent  tout,  comme  on  se  sent  loin  d'eux! 
Comme  on  baisse  la  tete  en  les  trouvant  si  vieux  I 
Sont-ce  la  tes  soupirs,  noir  esprit  des  ruines? 
Ange  des  souvenirs,  sont-ce  la  tes  sanglots? 
Ah !  comme  ils  voltigeaient,  f rais  et  legers  oiseaux 
Sur  le  palais  dor£  des  amours  enfantines! 
Comme  ils  savent  rouvrir  les  fleurs  des  temps  passes, 
Et  nous  ensevelir,  eux  qui  nous  ont  berces!" 


CHAPTER  X 

"Des  Lebens  Mai  bliiht  einmal  und  nicht  wieder; 

Mir  hat  er  abgebluht. 

Der  stille  Gott — O  weinet,  meine  Bruder — 
Der  stille  Gott  taucht  meine  Fackel  nieder, 

Und  die  Erscheinung  flieht." 

"Auch  ich  war  in  Arkadien  geboren, 
Doch  Thranen  gab  der  kurze  Lenz  mir  nur." 

A  GIRL  of  sixteen,  on  an  uncommonly  hot-looking 
thoroughbred,  struggling  violently  and  flinging  his 
dainty,  lean  head  about  viciously,  in  emphatic  pro- 
test. A  large  green  lawn,  velvety  and  smooth,  exhib- 
iting a  number  of  high  and  well-made  jumps,  hurdles, 
doubles,  banks,  and  a  couple  of  forbidding  stone  walls. 
A  frosty  autumnal  sky,  blue  like  a  dead  turquoise,  and 
in  the  middle  distance  a  belt  of  russet  and  gold-hued 
trees,  with  here  and  there  a  blotch  of  scarlet-leaved 
bushes. 

Six  months  before,  that  slender,  pale-faced  rider  had 
thought  life  a  very  acceptable  thing ;  now  life  was  of  no 
more  interest  to  her  than  had  she  been  a  hundred!  A 
repugnance  and  a  depression  which  nothing  could  al- 
lay weighed  her  down,  and  she  only  felt  at  ease  when 
out  in  the  open  with  her  dogs  and  horses.  This  girl- 
rider  had  once  been  merry  little  Pierrot,  then  happy-go- 
lucky  Marguerite,  and  now  she  was  Muzzi,  for  so  all 
her  world  called  her,  by  a  sweet-sounding  foreign  cor- 
ruption of  her  flower-name,  a  sobriquet  invented  by  her 
new  friends,  her  new  family,  her  new  country! 

156 


MUZZI    IN    HER    FAVORITE    GARB 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

To  myself  I  seemed  so  changed  that  in  Muzzi  noth- 
ing of  my  old  self  subsisted.  My  existence  had  become 
a  ceaseless  pageant,  a  continual  round  of  pleasures, 
but  the  main-spring  thereof  was  broken. 

The  steeple-chaser  I  was  riding  that  morning  gave 
me  much  trouble.  He  snatched  and  tore  at  his  bit  and 
moved  round  and  round,  and  up  and  down,  as  if  he  were 
stepping  on  burning  coals  during  the  pauses  between 
jumping.  A  treacherous  fellow  was  "  The  Chief,"  and 
one  of  the  stone  walls  in  particular  he  absolutely  ob- 
jected to.  I  wheeled  him  sharply  about,  and,  bending 
forward,  gave  him  a  slap  \vith  my  open,  ungloved  hand 
on  the  side  of  the  head.  Quick  as  lightning  he  tore 
across  the  grass,  but  just  in  front  of  the  detested  ob- 
stacle he  stopped  dead  short,  and  slewed  around  at  the 
very  instant  when  he  should  have  jumped. 

"Ah,  ha!  Is  that  the  way  with  you,  you  devil?"  I 
exclaimed,  thoroughly  out  of  temper  now,  and  trotting 
him  back  into  the  middle  of  the  lawn.  I  seldom  lost 
patience  with  my  horses,  but  "The  Chief's"  behavior 
was  sometimes  outrageous,  and  I  was  determined  to 
give  him  a  lesson  and  reduce  him  to  terms.  Again 
the  supple,  recalcitrant  steeple-chaser  avoided  the  leap 
with  extraordinary  agility,  and  it  seemed  a  miracle  to 
me  that  I  did  not  go  over  his  head.  "  You  want  a  first- 
class  thrashing,  my  lad!"  I  muttered,  savagely,  and 
for  the  first  time  I  prepared  to  use  the  short,  heavy  whip 
I  carried.  As  I  brought  it  down  upon  the  bay's  shining 
flank  he  stood  still  for  a  second  or  two,  trembling  with 
amazement ;  then  he  reared  straight  on  end,  in  a  man- 
ner that  was  horrible  to  feel,  twisted  himself  around, 
and  bolted. 

Away  and  away  up  the  grass-covered  ground  he 
sped  like  a  demon,  the  wind  whistling  past  my  ears 
and  taking  my  breath  away. 

i57 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

"  He  has  too  much  spirit  to  stand  being  thrashed  like 
a  mule/"'  I  thought  to  myself,  and,  in  spite  of  my  an- 
noyance, I  was  proud  of  the  beautiful,  untamed  creature 
I  rode.  But  obey  he  must,  so  I  soon  succeeded  in  stop- 
ping him,  and  brought  him  back  to  the  stone  wall.  I 
settled  my  reins,  squared  myself,  and  triumphantly 
landed  "  The  Chief  "  on  the  other  side. 

"  Well  done,  little  girlie,  well  done,  that  was  masterly, 
and  Ertek  en  ahhoz !"  (I  am  a  judge  of  it). 

I  looked  up,  wondering,  and  found  that  the  clear, 
silvery  voice  was  that  of  the  Empress,  who,  having 
ridden  up  noiselessly  on  the  turf,  had  witnessed,  unbe- 
known to  myself,  the  last  part  of  my  fight  with  "  The 
Chief." 

"  Ez  nagyon  tuzer  Ib"  (this  is  a  very  high-spirited 
horse),  I  said,  laughing  a  little,  well  pleased  with  such 
praise,  "but  he  is  not  really  bad.  Nezze  csak,  hogy 
hegyezi  fuleit"  (just  look  how  he  pricks  up  his  ears); 
''he  understands  every  word  one  says." 

It  was  her  turn  to  laugh.  "  Get  off,  little  one.  I  am 
going  to  have  a  try  myself,"  she  added,  slipping  from 
her  saddle  with  that  inimitable  and  exquisite  grace  of 
movement  which  was  all  her  own. 

"Oh,  don't,  please,"  I  cried,  impulsively;  "he  is 
dangerous  sometimes,  and  what  a  thousand  shames  it 
would  be  if  he  were  to  mangle  you!" 

"  How  about  yourself,  then,  Muzzi?  Would  it  not  be 
a  shame,  too?"  she  remarked,  tentatively,  laying  her 
narrow,  slightly  tanned  hand  on  "  The  Chief's  "  mane. 

"I  would  be  glad  if  he  did,"  I  said,  impulsively. 

The  Empress  looked  at  me,  wistfully,  but  she  said 
nothing,  and  with  a  shrug  of  my  shoulders  I  jumped 
down,  and  held  out  my  hand  for  the  reins  of  the  superb 
hunter  from  which  she  had  just  dismounted. 

A  boundless  and  solid  affection  had  arisen  between 

158 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

my  sovereign  and  myself,  despite  the  difference  in  our 
years.  We  were  friends  a  la  vie  et  a  la  mart,  as  was 
proved,  after  all  is  said  and  done.  She  alone  had 
guessed,  although  I  had  never  spoken  a  word  to  her,  or 
to  any  one  else,  of  course,  about  the  matter,  that  my 
marriage  was  a  failure  in  the  full  sense  of  the  word. 

While  our  two  horses  amicably  rubbed  noses,  we 
stood  side  by  side  between  them.  Suddenly,  with  an 
impulse  of  tenderness,  the  Empress  looked  into  my 
eyes,  and  murmured  softly : 

"  Ch&re,  ne  dites  pas  cela — you  have  a  fond,  tender 
heart;  do  not  misrepresent  yourself;  all  will  come 
right  sooner  or  later." 

Her  eyes  were  dim,  and  her  hand  pressed  mine  with 
a  genuine  sympathy  which  hurt  me  sorely,  for  my 
heart-wound  could  not  bear  probing.  I  turned  petu- 
lantly away,  gazing  at  the  morning  mist  which  still 
veiled  the  landscape.  "You  are  so  piteously  young 
to  feel  as  you  do,"  she  continued;  "you  will  live  to  be 
consoled." 

"Perhaps  I  am  wicked,"  I  replied,  almost  angrily, 
"but  I  would  sooner  not  wish  to  hear  you  speak  like 
that  Megszolitas — forgive  me  if  I  am  rude."  She  gave 
a  little  weary  sigh,  and,  with  a  quick  bound,  launched 
herself  upon  "The  Chief's"  back. 

The  bay  gave  one  wild  leap  forward,  like  a  stag,  and 
was  off.  Frightened  at  the  danger  she  ran,  although 
I  knew  her  to  be  the  finest  and  most  perfect  horsewoman 
that  ever  was,  I  lengthened  the  left  stirrup  of  her  horse, 
vaulted  in  the  saddle,  and  followed  her.  With  admir- 
able ease  she  set  him  going,  and  flew  a  big  double  as 
if  horse  and  rider  were  sustained  by  wings.  But  when 
the  bay  came  to  the  stone  wall,  thoroughly  realizing 
that  he  had  changed  hands,  he  resumed  his  former 
defences  and  prowesses,  and  a  singularly  pretty  piece 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

of  horsewomanship  ensued,  which,  nevertheless,  kept 
my  heart  in  my  throat  all  the  time. 

At  last  the  twice-conquered  animal  was  brought  to 
the  wall  by  the  Empress  at  a  steady,  sensible  canter. 
Gradually  increasing  his  pace,  he  soared  over  the  solid, 
perilous  mass  and  performed  this  feat  to  a  close  without 
a  sign  of  revolt;  only  a  slight  shiver  of  his  satin  skin 
betrayed  the  fact  that  he  was  irritated  and  ashamed 
at  having  yielded. 

I  could  not  help  gazing  admiringly  at  my  companion, 
as  we  rode  off  together,  followed  by  our  grooms,  who 
had  been  waiting  at  the  entrance  to  the  lawn.  How 
young  she  looked!  There  was  an  unwonted  color  in 
her  cheek  and  a  triumphant  light  in  her  eyes.  How 
imperially  she  held  her  slender  figure ;  what  an  expres- 
sion of  matchless  refinement  and  dignity  sat  upon  those 
perfectly  chiselled  features,  and  what  a  contrast  she 
was  to  all  other  women!  Those  beautiful  eyes,  how 
rarely  they  smiled,  but  how  well  a  smile  became  them! 
What  an  interesting  personality  was  hers!  Never  be- 
fore, never  since  have  I  met  anybody  like  her.  Oh, 
my  Empress,  my  darling,  why  did  I  ever  lose  you? 
After  many  years  this  same  bitter,  unutterably  bitter, 
question  rises  to  my  lips.  I  cannot  resist  looking  back 
with  anguish  unfathomable  to  those  days  which  will 
never  fade  from  my  mental  vision.  In  all  my  life  I  have 
cared  for  very  few ;  I  could  count  them  on  the  fingers  of 
both  hands  and  leave  out  the  thumbs ;  but  she  I  adored 
for  her  goodness,  her  pluck,  her  purity,  her  nobility  of 
thought  and  of  deed,  and  beyond  the  grave  I  adore  her 
still.  My  patron-saint — for  a  saint  she  always  was — now 

and  forever  I 

"  Felicite  pass£e, 
Qui  ne  peut  revenir, 
Tourment  de  ma  pense'e, 

Que  n'ay-je,  en  te  perdant,  perdu  le  souvenir." 
1 60 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

I  was  constantly  with  her,  in  person  or  in  thought. 
She  moulded  me,  strengthened  my  whole  nature,  culti- 
vated the  little  good  that  there  was  in  me.  Her  sor- 
rows were  my  sorrows ;  her  few  joys  my  greatest  rapt- 
ures. Devoted  as  I  was,  heart  and  soul  to  her,  I  would 
have  scorned  the  very  idea  of  doing  anything  of  which 
she  might  disapprove.  The  standard  she  set  me  was  a 
high  one,  but  just  because  she  set  it,  I  tried  with  the 
highest  incentive  in  the  world  to  attain  it,  although  I 
never  quite  succeeded  in  so  doing,  and  am  still  striving 
in  vain 

We  both  loved  the  sea,  the  mountains,  and  the  coun- 
try, and  were  never  content  when  in  towns,  however 
enviable  our  dwelling-places  might  be.  Even  the 
Riviera  was  too  alambiquee,  too  cloyed  with  sweetness, 
too  thickly  populated,  and  too  artificial  to  suit  us.  Corfu, 
with  its  terraced  rocks,  luxuriant  and  picturesque, 
planted  all  over  with  flowering  trees  and  silvery  olives, 
was,  on  the  other  hand,  a  paradise  we  both  enjoyed  to 
the  uttermost.  It  was  delightful  to  follow  the  narrow, 
zig-zag  paths  winding  up  through  the  endless  orchards 
of  orange,  lemon,  and  almond  trees,  starred  all  over  with 
their  white  and  pink  blossoms;  to  mount  the  rocky 
roads  lined  with  moss-grown  stones,  in  the  crevices  of 
which  tiny  flowerets  grew  in  generous  profusion ;  to  push 
our  way  through  the  labyrinth  of  interlaced  branches, 
followed  by  our  dogs,  and  carrying  our  sketching  ma- 
terials. Often  there  were  ledges  of  rock  which  had  to 
be  jumped  over,  but  we  were  both  too  athletic  to  let  such 
obstacles  trouble  us,  and  were  well  rewarded  when, 
reaching  the  summit,  we  gazed  upon  the  indefinite 
hazy  horizon,  the  deep  blue  sea,  studded  with  reddish- 
brown  sails,  and  the  far-away  coast  stretching  into 
endless  realms  of  sparkling  light  and  violet  shadows. 

We  were  interested  in  everything  and  everybody; 
fc  161 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

in  the  boat-builders,  the  fisher-folk,  the  flower-venders, 
the  orange-growers,  and  the  very,  very  poor,  who  roost- 
ed high  up  on  the  rose-hued,  mica-crusted  rocks,  in  tiny 
wooden  cabins,  overshadowed  by  pale  cactus-spikes, 
and  surrounded  by  waves  of  fragrant  sea-pinks. 

The  red-hot  light  of  the  African  sun,  the  orange 
sands  of  the  desert,  the  white,  sloping  town  of  Algiers, 
backed  by  the  dark-needled  Italian  pines,  piercing  the 
transparent  air  with  their  sharp,  shaggy  heads,  were 
also  favorites  of  ours.  The  distant  scarps  of  the 
brown  Kabyl  Mountains  were  as  familiar  to  us  as  the 
Alps,  the  Pyre'ne'es,  or  the  proud  Tyrolean  ranges. 
For  we  were  wanderers  whenever  we  could  shake  our- 
selves free  from  court  etiquette  and  court  glitter,  and 
we  thanked  fate  ardently  when  it  became  possible  for 
us  to  leave  everything  behind  in  our  unhampered  flights 
from  civilization. 

Well  versed  in  all  the  ins  and  outs  of  Oriental  life, 
the  Empress  undertook  to  initiate  me  to  the  mysteries 
of  the  East,  and  she  acquitted  herself  admirably  of 
her  self-imposed  task.  Midnight  rides  in  the  desert, 
visits  to  old  palaces  hidden  away  in  narrow,  dusky 
streets,  and  hunting  -  parties  on  the  reed  -  grown 
shores  of  the  gulf,  were  only  a  few  of  the  excursions 
which  she  planned  out  for  my  benefit.  She  was  indeed 
an  invaluable  guide  for  any  one  who,  like  myself,  was 
anxious  to  penetrate  beneath  the  surface  of  what  is 
commonly  called  La  po€sie  de  I'Orient — a  romantic 
glamour  which  any  tourist  well  provided  with  money 
can  enjoy.  No ;  her  knowledge  went  far  deeper  than  that, 
for  she  had  made  a  very  careful  and  extensive  study 
of  the  land  which  once  was  the  home  of  Hannibal,  and 
I  enthusiastically  followed  her  wherever  she  chose  to 
lead  me. 

The  Orient!  How  much  is  contained  in  those  two 

162 


TO   MANY   A    SPHYNX  ! 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A  PRINCESS 

words!  What  tragedy,  what  poetry,  what  secret  and 
potent  charm  they  reveal!  When  once  assimilated  it 
must  always  haunt  the  mind.  It  prostrates  one  with 
wonder  and  awe.  Like  the  call  of  the  crested  hopoe,  or  the 
"  Ah-ah!  Ay-ah!"  of  the  Egyptian  donkey-boy,  it  seems 
to  ring  forever  in  one's  ears.  In  spite  of  all  that  may  be 
said  to  the  contrary,  in  spite  of  European  rule,  in  spite 
of  the  persistent  efforts  of  modernists  to  invade  it,  the 
East  is  still  the  East,  and  will  always  remain  so — a 
wonderful  land,  rich  in  beauty,  in  interest,  and,  alas! 
in  many  sombre,  shameful  deeds.  How  painfully  sur- 
prised I  was  when  I  discovered  the  depth  of  human 
suffering  and  torture  concealed  beneath  the  fair  exte- 
rior of  this  grand  continent — luminous,  romantic  Africa ! 

I  shudder  when  I  remember  one  incident  recounted 
to  me  on  a  gala  night  at  Gezireh,  when  the  Khedive 
of  Egypt  threw  open  his  marvellous  palace  to  hundreds 
of  guests. 

The  lace-like  structure  of  the  snowy  buildings  was  a 
veritable  glimpse  into  fairy-land.  They  stood  among 
groves  of  feathery  palms,  bamboos,  mimosa,  and  banana 
plants,  the  immense  green  leaves  of  which  towered 
above  a  majestic  sweep  of  shaven  imported  turf  adorned 
by  tall  jets  d'eau,  gorgeous  masses  of  tropical  plants, 
parterres  naming  with  all  the  hues  of  the  rainbow,  and 
borders  of  incomparably  fine  gloxinias,  dwarf  gardenias, 
and  crimson  pourpier. 

Gigantic  ferns  clustered  beneath  the  deep  shade  of 
some  scaly  Himalayan  pines,  while  from  the  carved 
porticos  garlands  of  passion  -  flowers  and  tea  -  roses 
drooped  in  graceful  festoons. 

The  Khedive  could  assume,  when  he  considered  it 
worth  his  while  to  do  so,  the  aspect  of  a  perfect  Grand 
Seigneur,  and  he  certainly  possessed  the  difficult  art  of 
knowing  how  to  receive.  Taste  and  money  combined 

163 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A  PRINCESS 

to  make  those  celebrated  Gezireh  receptions  an  enchant- 
ment :  the  music  was  perfect,  the  refreshments  delicious, 
and  the  suppers  of  Lucullan  magnificence,  while  the 
gay  uniforms  and  jewelled  toilettes  of  the  viceroy's  nu- 
merous invites  completed  a  mise  en  scdne  of  unimpeach- 
able splendid  Oriental  magnificence. 

The  night  to  which  I  refer  was  one  of  star-and-moon- 
lit  beauty.  No  pen  could  ever  hope  to  describe  or  brush 
to  reproduce  the  royal  blue  of  the  skies — not  the  dark- 
black  hue  we  are  accustomed  to  in  Europe,  but  a  lumi- 
nous transparency  unequalled  for  its  soft  brilliance. 
The  rapid  waters  of  the  Nile  murmured  and  gurgled 
musically  beneath  the  flower-laden  balustrades  of  the 
marble  terraces,  and  the  splash  of  the  fountains  fell 
melodiously  upon  the  ears.  I  had  just  been  dancing, 
and,  tempted  by  the  cool,  dusky  gardens,  I  accepted  the 
arm  of  a  celebrated  diplomat,  who  begged  me  to  go  for 
a  short  stroll  before  the  beginning  of  the  cotillion. 

For  a  few  moments  we  stood  on  the  steps  of  the  palace, 
gazing  back  at  the  wonderful  pageant  presented  by  the 
ballroom.  The  walls  were  concealed  by  silken  draper- 
ies, embroidered  in  gold,  silver,  and  seed  pearls,  and 
the  groups  of  dancers  looked  almost  unreal  and  like 
personages  in  a  dream  picture. 

"Why  does  Mustapha  Pacha  F.  always  wear  a 
glove  on  his  right  hand?  It  is  contrary  to  etiquette 
here,  is  it  not?"  I  asked  of  my  escort. 

"  If  he  were  to  remove  it,"  replied  his  Excellency,  "  you 
would  perceive  an  ugly  semicircular  scar  on  the  back 
of  his  hand.  Let  us  go  into  the  gardens,  and  I  will  tell 
you  under  what  peculiar  circumstances  he  received  this 
wound,  the  traces  of  which  he  is  so  anxious  to  hide." 

Filled  with  curiosity,  I  wandered  out  into  the  fresh 
night  air  with  my  old  friend,  and  listened  with  eager 
interest  to  the  following  tale  of  sinister  and  grim  cruelty : 

164 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

"In  1876,"  began  the  ambassador,  "the  English 
government,  alarmed  at  the  Khedive's  terrible  extrava- 
gance and  repeated  appeals  to  the  European  money 
markets,  sent  out  to  Egypt  a  special  commission,  con- 
sisting of  the  Right  Honorable  Sir  S.  C,  and  sev- 
eral others,  to  inquire  into  the  financial  status  of 
the  country.  These  gentlemen,  although  received 
with  nattering  hospitality  and  courtesy,  experienced 
the  greatest  difficulty  in  obtaining  the  information  they 
desired.  In  the  short  space  of  ten  years  over  £100,000,- 
ooo  sterling  had  been  borrowed  by  the  Egyptian  gov- 
ernment, and  of  this  immense  sum  only  a  ridiculously 
small  portion  had  found  its  way  into  the  state  treasury. 
What  had  become  of  the  balance?  Two  people  alone 
could  tell.  One  of  these  was  the  Khedive  himself,  and 
the  other  his  Minister  of  Finance,  Mustapha  Pacha 
S.,  the  most  powerful  man  in  Egypt.  It  is  impos- 
sible to  conceive  the  enormous  wealth  of  the  latter. 
Large  tracts  of  country  belonged  to  him,  and  he  had 
the  right  of  coining  money  in  his  own  name.  His 
splendor  and  magnificence  were  unequalled  in  the  East. 
His  harem  of  over  three  thousand  women  occupied  the 
immense  palaces  in  which  all  the  government  offices 
are  now  located,  and  he  had  a  special  body-guard  in  his 
seraglio  of  over  four  hundred  superb  Amazons,  who,  on 
state  occasions,  donned  armor  and  helmets  of  pure  sil- 
ver. A  member  of  almost  every  European  order  of 
knighthood,  he  was  on  terms  of  intimate  acquaintance 
with  all  the  principal  statesmen  in  Paris,  London,  Berlin, 
and  Vienna.  The  English  envoys  accordingly  devoted 
all  their  energies  to  win  him  over  from  the  then  Khedive 
in  order  that  they  might  be  able  at  last  to  sound  the 
puzzling  depths  of  Egyptian  finance.  It  seems  that  they 
were  about  to  succeed,  when,  late  one  Thursday  night 
in  the  month  of  June,  a  carriage  stopped  at  one  of  the 

165 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A  PRINCESS 

side  entrances  of  Abdeen  Palace.  A  short,  stout  gen- 
tleman, with  a  very  pronounced  Jewish  type  of  coun- 
tenance, jumped  out,  and,  limping  rapidly  up  the  stairs, 
demanded  to  see  his  Highness  at  once.  The  Khedive, 
on  being  informed  that  his  visitor  was  Mr.  Julius  B.'s 
confidential  secretary  and  factotum  of  the  Minister  of 
Finance,  ordered  him  to  be  admitted  immediately. 
After  kissing  the  hem  of  the  monarch's  coat  in  the  cus- 
tomary fashion,  the  secretary  informed  the  Khedive 
that  the  minister  had  been  won  over  by  the  English 
envoys,  and  in  order  to  save  his  own  position  had  de- 
termined to  turn  king's  evidence,  and  to  reveal  to  them 
on  the  following  Saturday  the  whole  of  his  Highness 's 
financial  transactions.  The  latter,  fully  aware  that 
such  disclosures  would  inevitably  result  in  his  depo- 
sition, determined  at  once  to  prevent  at  all  costs  their 
being  divulged.  The  next  day  was  Friday,  the  Mo- 
hammedan Sabbath.  After  performing  his  devotions 
at  the  mosque  with  exemplary  piety,  the  Khedive  pro- 
ceeded in  an  open  victoria  to  the  palace  of  Mustapha 
Pacha  S.,  and  invited  that  minister  to  accompany 
him  during  his  usual  afternoon  drive.  As  this  was 
by  no  means  the  first  occasion  on  which  his  Highness 
had  thus  honored  him,  the  minister  had  no  reason  to 
be  surprised,  and,  pleasantly  chatting  together,  the 
Khedive  and  Mustapha  Pacha  S.  drove  to  this  very 
palace  of  Gezireh  where  we  are  now.  On  alighting  at 
the  door,  the  Khedive,  turning  to  his  minister,  invited 
him  to  supper  on  board  the  vice-regal  yacht,  which 
lay  moored  in  midstream,  and  suggested  that  Mustapha 
Pacha  S.  should  go  on  board  immediately  with  the 
Princes  Hussein  and  Hassan,  saying  that  he  himself 
would  follow  as  soon  as  he  had  taken  a  bath. 

"  The  minister,  therefore,  accompanied  by  the  Khe- 
dive's sons,  embarked  at  these  very  steps  you  see  here 

166 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

at  your  feet,  and  was  rowed  off  to  the  yacht.  A  merry 
evening  was  spent  on  board,  the  whole  ship  being  il- 
luminated, and  occasional  snatches  of  music  and  laugh- 
ter were  wafted  over  to  the  shore.  At  about  eleven 
o'clock  the  Khedive  and  both  princes  returned  alone, 
leaving  on  board  the  minister  with  the  two  vice-regal 
chamberlains,  Mustapha  Bey  F.  and  Sami  Bey  B. 
Shortly  afterwards  the  noise  of  a  brief  scuffle  on  deck 
was  heard  by  the  people  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  and 
then  all  was  quiet  and  the  lights  were  extinguished 
on  board.  Soon  after  midnight  the  yacht  cast  loose 
from  her  moorings,  and  noiselessly  glided  up  the  stream 
towards  the  first  cataract. 

"Nothing  more  was  ever  seen  in  this  world  of  Mus- 
tapha Pacha  S. 

"  On  the  next  day  a  decree  was  issued  stating  that  the 
Khedive  had  banished  his  Minister  of  Finance  to  Upper 
Egypt,  for  having  dared  to  oppress  his  much-beloved 
subjects,  etc.  Four  days  later  the  yacht  returned  to 
her  moorings  off  Gezireh  Palace,  and  when  the  two 
chamberlains  resumed  their  service  it  was  noticed  that 
Sami  Bey  wore  a  handkerchief  round  his  throat  as 
if  to  hide  some  wound  on  his  neck,  and  that  Musta- 
pha Bey  F.  had  his  right  hand  in  a  sling.  Nothing, 
however,  can  long  be  kept  a  secret  in  the  East,  and 
it  soon  oozed  out  that  Sami's  throat  had  been  lacerated 
by  the  nails,  and  Mustapha's  hand  had  been  bitten 
through  by  the  teeth,  of  the  unfortunate  Minister  of 
Finance,  when  they  strangled  him  with  their  own  hands 
on  the  night  of  the  supper.  Both  Sami  and  Mustapha 
were  rewarded  for  their  services  by  being  made  pachas. 
Sami,  who  became  Prime  Minister  at  the  time  of  Arabi's 
insurrection,  was  later  on  sent  to  Ceylon,  while  his  com- 
panion, Mustapha,  after  being  engaged  to  an  English 
lady,  who  broke  off  the  marriage  when  she  heard  the 

167 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A   PRINCESS 

history  of  his  hand,  became  a  cabinet  minister.  Julius 
B.,  the  private  secretary,  a  German  Jew  who  be- 
trayed his  benefactor  and  master,  was  naturally  also 
rewarded  by  being  made  a  pacha,  and  by  becoming 
Under-Secretary  of  State  in  the  department  of  which 
Mustapha  was  minister. " 

After  listening  to  this  narration,  I  returned  to  the 
salons,  a  sadder  and  a  wiser  woman.  The  wondrous 
charm  of  the  evening  had  been  broken  by  what  I  had 
just  heard,  and  I  soon  took  my  departure  from  the  place 
which  had  witnessed  so  grewsome  a  deed,  and  probably 
many  others  of  the  same  distasteful  nature.  I  did  not 
feel  like  dancing  any  more,  for  the  sweet  strains  of  the 
music  could  not  prevent  me  from  fancying  that  I  heard 
on  the  night  breezes  the  agonized  cries  of  poor  Mus- 
tapha Pacha. 


CHAPTER  XI 

"Now  are  the  autumn  days.     The  sunrise  is  less  bright; 
Far  from  their  nests  the  birds  have  taken  flight; 
Happy  is  he  who  flies  with  loved  ones  dear; 
But  one  is  sorrowful,  left  lonely  here, 
All  lonely  here!" 

IN  September  Karl  was  ordered  to  take  charge  of  a 
brigade  of  cavalry,  as  honorary  commander,  during 
the  great  autumn  manoeuvres  on  the  northern  frontier, 
and  "  my  chum  "  Rudi  soon  joined  us  in  his  character  of 
honorary  colonel  of  the  regiment  of  lancers  garrisoned 
there.  Our  friends  said  good-bye  as  if  we  were  march- 
ing off  to  the  field  of  battle,  and  I  took  a  sad  farewell 
from  my  beloved  Empress  before  abandoning  my  com- 
fortable and  beautiful  home. 

A  few  days  later  we  reached  our  station  on  the  border 
of  the  great  plains.  There  the  country  is  flat  and  mel- 
ancholy, with  now  and  again  a  cluster  of  stunted  willow 
or  birch  trees,  some  great  forests,  and  many  a  stream  of 
running  water  bubbling  through  the  tall  grasses.  No 
one,  however,  who  has  ever  seen  it  can  deny  the  gran- 
deur of  those  boundless  vistas  of  prairies,  with  the  undu- 
lating range  of  the  mountains  in  the  dim  distance,  and 
the  little  villages,  with  their  blue  and  pink  cottages 
dotting  the  landscape  with  many  bright  spots.  But  in 
winter  the  desolation  of  the  place  is  really  heartrending, 
and  to  remain  for  six  months  in  the  snow,  badly  pro- 
tected from  the  elements  as  we  were,  was  far  from  being 
a  cheerful  prospect.  The  nearest  railway  station  was 

169 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

nine  h6urs  distant,  and  the  greatest  diversions  we  had 
were  hunting,  driving,  and  riding. 

There  are  few  places  about  which  the  world  at  large 
knows  as  little  as  of  that  far  eastern  portion  of  Europe, 
with  its  startling  contrasts  between  the  abject  poverty 
of  the  peasantry  on  the  one  hand,  and  on  the  other  a 
wealth  in  which  barbaric  and  mediaeval  magnificence 
are  often  strangely  blended  with  the  quintessence  of 
nineteenth  century  civilization  and  refinement.  It  is 
out  of  the  beaten  track  of  the  tourist,  and  is  unknown, 
save  to  the  guests  who  throng  the  castles  of  the  great 
nobles  during  the  hunting  season,  and  to  the  officers  of 
the  army. 

To  the  latter  in  particular  it  is  a  spot  of  more  than 
ordinary  interest,  for  it  has  long  been  recognized  by 
military  authorities  as  certain  to  become,  one  day  or 
other,  the  principal  field  of  operations  in  the  event  of 
war  between  three  empires.  Large  bodies  of  troops  are 
continually  maintained  in  the  surrounding  districts  by 
these  three  great  powers,  for  frontiers  are  close  at  hand, 
and,  indeed,  there  is  one  spot  where  the  outposts  of  the 
three  countries  are  all  within  sight  and  hail  of  one  an- 
other, being  only  separated  by  wooden  barriers  painted 
in  the  colors  of  each  respective  nation. 

Frontier  duty  is  regarded  by  officers  as  being  one  of 
the  most  disagreeable  features  of  the  service,  and  thus 
do  the  majority  of  officers'  wives  decide  to  remain  be- 
hind in  the  gay  capital,  at  any  rate,  until  the  winter 
is  over.  Princess  T.,  the  wife  of  Major  Prince  T., 
of  the  — th  Lancers,  and  myself,  were  the  only  two 
women  who  happened  to  be,  therefore,  as  we  called  it 
flippantly,  "on  active  service." 

Our  station  was  a  small  and  miserable  village,  a  few 
miles  distant  from  the  foot  of  the  mountain  ranges,  and 
lay  in  one  of  the  most  desolate  parts  of  a  desolate  coun- 

170 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

try,  with  hamlets  few  and  far  between,  surrounded  by 
swamps  of  reedy  wilderness  and  great  sandy  stretches 
dotted  with  meagre  trees.  It  was  a  colorless  and  mourn- 
ful place,  and  when  we  arrived  the  first  touch  of  cold 
weather  was  making  the  distant  forests  bare,  and  cover- 
ing the  plains  with  a  continual  shiver  of  breeze  among 
dying  grasses  and  fading  heather. 

The  distance  was  a  nine-hours'  drive,  as  I  have  just 
remarked,  and  over  execrable  roads,  from  the  nearest 
railway  station,  to  the  little  village  which  appeared  to 
us  to  be  on  the  very  confines  of  the  earth.  To  make 
things  worse,  the  wretched  place  did  not  possess  a  sin- 
gle decent  inn,  and  the  cavalry  barracks  were  in  so 
neglected  a  condition  that  it  was  impossible  to  take  up 
our  quarters  there. 

We  hired  a  long,  low,  rambling  kind  of  wooden  struct- 
ure, which  could  hardly  be  called  a  house,  so  primitive 
was  the  fashion  in  which  it  was  built.  It  contained 
twenty  large,  bare  rooms,  with  crumbling  pine  walls, 
provided  with  narrow  windows,  and  doors  which  would 
neither  open  nor  shut.  The  flooring  was  rude  in  the 
extreme,  for  it  consisted  of  nothing  more  than  beaten 
earth,  damp,  evil-smelling,  and  cold. 

A  chill  like  that  of  the  catacombs  fell  upon  me  when  I 
first  entered  this  dismal  abode,  and  a  feeling  almost  akin 
to  discouragement  crept  into  my  heart  when  I  thought 
of  my  many  beautiful  residences  with  all  their  treasures 
of  art,  and  their  numberless  conveniences.  Nevertheless, 
I  quickly  realized  that  faint-heartedness  would  not  help 
me  much,  and  summoning  a  force  of  regimental  carpen- 
ters to  my  assistance,  I  was  soon  hard  at  work  making 
the  place  habitable.  I  must  confess  that  it  took  me  a  long 
time  to  accomplish  this,  but  three  weeks  later,  notwith- 
standing, nobody  would  have  known  it  for  the  orig- 
inal dwelling.  The  rough  floor  was  covered  with  deal 

171 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

boards  over  which  thick  carpets  were  spread,  Eastern 
hangings  hid  the  dingy  walls  from  view,  and  many 
good  pictures,  bric-a-brac,  and  trophies  of  arms  bright- 
ened the  rooms,  while  Egyptian  divans,  piled  with  softly 
tinted  cushions,  gave  a  homelike  appearance  to  this 
house  which  on  our  arrival  was  so  graceless  and  barn- 
like. 

When  the  absorbing  excitement  of  arranging,  unpack- 
ing, hanging  pictures,  nailing  draperies,  and  procuring 
palms,  ferns,  and  flowering  plants,  as  an  indispensable 
adjunct,  had  subsided,  I  began  to  see  what  a  lonely  spot 
it  was  that  we  were  doomed  to  inhabit  for  a  compara- 
tively long  space  of  time ;  an  absolute  solitude,  with  an 
unchanging  melancholy  about  it.  The  estates  of  the 
nobles  were,  of  course,  a  great  resource,  but  the  dis- 
tances seemed  interminable,  and  made  it  difficult  for 
us  to  be  on  very  neighborly  terms,  especially  after  the 
winter  set  in  in  good  earnest,  when  the  nights  became 
terribly  wild,  and  the  howl  of  the  hurricane  and  of  the 
hungry  wolves  combined  to  make  up  a  really  horrible 
concert. 

How  very  much  out  of  place  did  the  delicate,  elegant, 
and  frail  Princess  T.  look  in  this  rough,  uncivilized 
spot,  and  yet  without  her  sweet  presence  it  would  have 
been  a  thousand  times  more  unbearable.  Her  charming 
ways  and  her  blond  beauty  seemed  to  bring  light  and 
cheer  to  everybody,  and  the  young  officers,  who  were, 
of  course,  deprived  even  of  the  questionable  amusements 
to  be  found  at  a  military  casino,  grew  in  the  habit  of 
coming  to  see  either  the  princess  or  myself  every  even- 
ing, when  we  would  play  whist,  or  sit  and  chat  around 
a  bright  fire  of  fragrant  pine  logs,  often  listening  to 
some  dreamy  melody  of  Chopin,  played  by  Captain 
Count  G.,  who  was  a  wonderful  musician. 

My  childhood  training  now  stood  me  in  good  stead 

172 


THE  TRIBULATIONS    OF  A   PRINCESS 

and  service,  for  I  enjoyed  out-door  pleasures  more  than 
ever,  and  feared  neither  wind  nor  weather. 

In  my  leisure  hours  I  took  particular  pleasure  in  train- 
ing a  young  pig  which  I  had  bought  from  a  peasant. 
The  animal  was  very  intelligent,  and  I  taught  him  not 
only  all  the  tricks  of  the  circus,  but  also  to  smoke  a  pipe 
and  play  dominoes.  He  was  a  great  source  of  amuse- 
ment to  us,  and  was  ushered  into  the  dining-room  by  my 
butler  every  evening  after  dinner,  with  huge  bows  of 
blue  ribbon  tied  around  his  neck  and  tail.  It  is  needless 
to  add  that  he  was  always  politely  invited  to  partake  of 
cake  and  fruit,  which  he  invariably  did  with  a  very  good 
grace.  Indeed,  I  was  still  enough  of  a  child  then  to  en- 
joy such  fun  immensely. 

Moreover,  I  had  a  great  many  quixotic  ideas  of  my 
own  concerning  the  welfare  of  the  people  about  me. 
Their  more  than  rudimentary  ideas  of  cleanliness  and 
hygiene — nay,  of  common  morals  and  decency — called 
for  a  serious  looking  after.  The  conditions  were  ap- 
palling ;  the  people  were  poor,  of  a  poverty  which  wrings 
the  heart,  and  reminds  one  of  "  the  abomination  of  deso- 
lation" spoken  of  by  the  prophet  Daniel!  Their  very 
life's  blood  was  sucked  out  vampire-like  by  the  Hebrew 
usurers :  men  with  gaunt  visages  and  shambling  gait, 
wrapped  in  long  greasy  kaftans  reaching  down  to  their 
feet,  and  with  mangy,  fur-bordered  caps  upon  their 
filthy  hair,  which  curled  in  twin  corkscrews  or  peiches 
drooping  over  their  bloodless  ears. 

The  village  inns,  low  drinking  places  at  best,  were 
invariably  kept  by  Jews  of  this  class,  who  enticed  the 
peasants  by  all  the  means  in  their  power  to  consume  as 
much  wodka  as  possible.  When  once  they  succeeded  in 
making  their  wretched  victims  run  into  debt,  they 
pounced  like  vultures  upon  them,  forced  them  to  mort- 
gage their  land,  and  little  by  little  obtained  such  a  hold 

173 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

on  the  poor  devils  that  the  latter  became  mere  tools  in 
their  hands,  cowed  by  the  perpetual  fear  of  seeing  their 
fields  go  to  the  hammer. 

I  tried  my  best  to  make  my  way  into  the  homes  and  the 
hearts  of  these  miserable  people,  but  found  the  undertak- 
ing almost  impossible,  so  suspicious  and  disaffected  had 
they  become.  They  seemed  hard  and  thankless,  stupe- 
fied by  drink,  want  of  proper  food  and  fair  treatment, 
and  yet  if  once  one  gained  their  confidence  they  were 
sometimes  susceptible  of  showing  genuine  feeling  and 
even  gratitude. 

One  day  I  got  myself  into  a  grand  scrape,  which  very 
nearly  ended  most  disagreeably  for  me.  I  had  gone 
off  alone  on  one  of  my  riding  expeditions,  intending  to 
have  a  gallop  before  luncheon.  The  weather  was  un- 
usually mild,  and  as  I  rode  over  the  flat  grass-land,  en- 
joying the  crisp,  bright  air,  I  was  quite  unconscious  of 
the  fact  that  unawares  I  had  wandered  over  the  frontier, 
a  thing  which  any  of  us  had  been  strictly  forbidden  to 
do.  Before  I  noticed  my  mistake  I  was  miles  away  from 
home  and  far  into  foreign  territory.  I  was  just  in  the 
act  of  retracing  my  steps  when  I  heard  the  rapid  pat- 
ter of  horses'  hoofs  and  the  blood-curdling  whoops  of 
the  Cossacks  ringing  on  the  frosty  breeze.  Looking  up, 
I  espied  a  party  of  about  fifty  of  these  .terrible  gardes- 
frontidre  galloping  towards  me,  with  their  lances  glit- 
tering in  the  sun,  and  their  little  horses'  long,  shaggy 
manes  fluttering  in  the  wind. 

Very  much  put  out,  I  dug  my  spurs  into  the  flanks  of 
my  English  hunter,  "  Will-o'-the-Wisp,"  and,  wheeling 
him  around,  I  sped  away  at  a  break-neck  pace,  pursued 
by  the  Cossacks  in  full  cry.  By  this  time  I  had  been 
long  enough  on  the  frontier  to  know  what  awaited  me 
should  I  be  caught  by  this  lawless  tribe  of  half-savage 
men,  who  were  capable  of  any  imaginable  misconduct  in  a 

174 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

case  like  this  particular  one.  I  urged  my  horse  for- 
ward with  a  touch  of  the  spur  that  the  noble  beast  hardly 
needed,  for  he  clearly  seemed  to  understand  that  for 
once  he  was  being  chased  instead  of  chasing,  and  cov- 
ered the  ground  with  the  swiftness  of  a  hunted  deer. 

Meanwhile  one  of  the  Cossacks,  evidently  better  mount- 
ed than  the  others,  was  coming  closer  and  closer  upon 
me;  with  a  few  desperate  strides  his  pony  was  beside  me, 
his  hand  was  on  my  bridle  rein,  and  "  Will-o'-the-Wisp  " 
reared  on  his  hind-legs,  making  frantic  efforts  to  shake 
him  off.  Fortunately,  I  carried  a  heavy,  silver-headed 
hunting-crop,  and,  swiftly  raising  my  arm,  I  gave  him 
a  blow  across  the  eyes  which  sent  him  reeling  from  his 
saddle  to  the  ground. 

Without  looking  behind  me,  I  started  off  again,  with 
the  now  infuriated  men  at  my  heels,  and  I  was  just 
on  the  point  of  being  caught  a  second  time  when  I 
saw  the  river  sparkling  like  a  band  of  silver  a  hun- 
dred yards  in  front  of  me.  Then  I  knew  that  I  was 
saved.  My  hunter,  excited  as  he  was  by  this  mad  race, 
could  clear  at  a  bound,  I  felt  certain,  the  twenty-eight 
feet  or  so  of  deep  water  which  separated  me  from  our 
own  territory,  for  at  this  place  the  boundary-line  be- 
tween the  two  countries  is  formed  by  this  stream.  I 
also  knew  that  the  Cossack  ponies,  although  active, 
were  in  no  condition  to  accomplish  such  a  feat  as  this 
leap  was. 

This  narrow  river,  at  best,  was  a  dangerous  obstacle, 
but  the  take-off  was  sound,  springy  pasture;  the  land- 
ing was  more  or  less  boggy,  and  very  slippery.  I  settled 
my  reins  and  squared  myself  in  a  thorough  business- 
like way  for  the  leap.  I  felt  that  it  would  be  touch 
and  go,  but  at  that  instant  I  could  have  ridden  the  head 
off  the  "Old  One"  himself.  "Will-o'-the-Wisp"  ap- 
proached the  water  at  a  thundering  pace,  rose  like  a 

i75 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

bird  over  the  steep  bank  and  rushing  water,  and  landed 
on  the  other  side  as  lightly  as  a  feather.  While  in 
the  air,  a  sudden  sensation  of  doubt  assailed  me — 
would  I  succeed?  would  we  clear  the  yawning  gap? 
The  feeling  of  relief  and  exhilarating  triumph  which 
followed  the  success  of  this  supreme  effort  are  inexpres- 
sible. As  I  jumped  from  my  saddle  and  allowed  my 
nervously  shivering  horse  to  stand  at  rest,  I  heard  a  yell 
of  disappointment  from  my  pursuers.  I  could  not  help 
even  at  that  moment  laughing  aloud  at  their  discom- 
fiture, as  they  stood  completely  baffled  on  the  opposite 
margin  of  the  river. 

I  need  not  add  that  when  I  reached  home  I  was  sound- 
ly berated  for  my  so-called  imprudence  and  reckless- 
ness. 

The  owners  of  the  nearest  castles,  although  the  finan- 
cial circumstances  of  many  of  them  were  much  impaired, 
were  very  hospitable.  They  bombarded  us  with  in- 
vitations to  dinner,  to  luncheon,  to  supper,  to  hunts,  and 
to  dances,  with  untiring  constancy,  and  they  really 
did  all  within  their  power  to  make  us  comfortable  and 
merry  while  under  their  roofs.  Comfort,  however,  is 
seldom  met  with  in  those  once  so  luxurious,  now  often 
sadly  impoverished  country  -  seats  —  huge,  rambling 
structures,  half  fortress,  half  palace,  where  many  rem- 
nants of  past  grandeur  accentuate  the  painful  and 
pathetic  aspect  of  the  present  decay. 

When  you  are  invited  to  dinner  there,  you  are  treated 
to  costly  wines  and  to  all  sorts  of  primeurs.  Venison, 
game,  flesh,  and  fowl,  weigh  down  the  festive  board, 
which  literally  groans  beneath  its  load  of  antique  plate 
and  of  rare  Sevres  and  Dresden  china.  But  should  you 
arrive  at  the  chateau  unawares,  you  might  find  the 
family  sitting  before  a  tureen  of  barsch-soup  (a  mixture 
of  beet-roots  and  sour  milk)  and  a  dish  of  sausages  and 

176 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

red  cabbage,  for  such  is  mainly  their  daily  fare.  When- 
ever I  chanced  to  stay  over  night  at  one  of  these  resi- 
dences I  was  conducted  with  great  ceremony  to  the 
state  apartment,  usually  hung  with  moth-eaten  tapes- 
tries, and  furnished  in  a  gorgeous  and  lavish  if  much 
tarnished  splendor,  the  sole  reminder  of  by-gone  cen- 
turies. But,  alas,  the  sheets  and  pillow-cases  were 
worn  thread -bare,  and  the  towels  on  the  toilet  table 
ready  for  use  consisted  of  a  lamentable  collection  of  holes 
and  of  a  great  embroidered  crest  and  coronet  in  one 
of  the  remaining  corners. 

Far  from  seeming  ashamed  of  this  melancholy  state 
of  affairs,  the  lady  of  the  house  would  smilingly  tell  me 
that  servants  are  not  to  be  trusted,  and  that  she  had 
been  so  preoccupied  by  her  numerous  social  duties 
that  she  had  not  been  able  to  spare  the  necessary  time 
to  examine  her  linen  stores. 

The  negligence  and  carelessness  of  these  great  ladies 
are  almost  past  comprehension.  More  indolent  than 
any  harem  woman,  they  take  their  household  duties 
easily,  carelessly,  and  consequently  everything  goes 
wrong.  They  will  dress  magnificently  when  the  occa- 
sion requires  it,  but  often  go  without  the  simplest  neces- 
saries of  life. 

Princess  X.,  a  celebrated  beauty,  used,  quietly  and 
quite  openly,  to  take  her  diamonds  out  of  pawn  before 
the  beginning  of  the  Fasching  (carnival  season),  and 
send  them  back  there  with  equal  insouciance  on  the 
first  day  of  Lent.  Everything  is  sacrificed  in  that  quaint 
region  to  the  ambition  of  preserving  ancient  racial 
traditions,  and  many,  indeed,  are  the  members  of  this 
old  aristocracy  who  willingly  deprive  themselves  of 
every  delicacy  and  comfort  during  eight  months  out  of 
the  year,  in  order  to  cut  a  figure  befitting  their  rank 
during  the  season. 

M  177 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

The  striking  contrast  between  this  gilded  misery  and 
the  truly  princely  abodes  and  status  of  some  of  the  great 
nobles,  who  have  retained  their  pristine  glory  and  wealth, 
is  full  of  pathos. 

Among  the  most  perfect  residences  in  the  whole  of 
Europe  is  Count  Maurice  P/s  magnificent  castle,  from 
which  we  were  only  a  few  miles  distant.  It  was  built 
by  a  long-dead  French  architect  of  immense  talent; 
its  sculptured  walls  are  mirrored  in  the  transparent 
waters  of  a  lake,  while  the  snow-capped  mountains 
rise  behind  dense  woods  at  the  back  of  its  Versailles- 
like  gardens.  It  is  one  of  the  grandest  places  at  which 
it  has  been  my  happy  lot  to  stay.  It  has  acres  of 
palm  and  glass  houses.  In  the  stables  one  hundred 
and  twenty  horses  of  the  purest  breeds  of  England, 
France,  Austria,  and  the  Ukraine  were  lodged  in  mar- 
ble loose-boxes,  the  straw  of  their  bedding  was  plaited 
like  a  Japanese  matting,  and  the  count's  coat-of-arms 
used  to  be  designed  in  colored  sands  every  morning  by 
the  grooms  upon  the  unique  mosaic  floor.  In  the  centre 
of  the  stable  silvery  jets  of  water  played  on  masses  of 
arums  and  of  lilies  blossoming  in  the  shell-shaped  basin 
of  a  fountain,  and  in  the  adjoining  hall  the  horses  could 
enjoy  their  daily  hot  or  cold  baths  like  the  daintiest 
of  coquettes. 

There  is  a  theatre  between  the  banqueting-hall  and 
the  winter  garden,  with  a  stage  as  large  as  that  of  the 
Com$die  Frangaise,  and  hundreds  of  halls  and  cham- 
bers cluster  around  monumental  staircases,  up  which 
twenty-five  men  might  walk  abreast.  Every  nook  and 
corner  of  this  magnificent  house  is  filled  with  treasures 
of  art  of  priceless  value,  and  the  luxury  displayed  in 
each  detail  of  the  service  during  my  old  friend's  life- 
time was  absolutely  unequalled  in  its  completeness  and 
grandeur. 

178 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

At  a  dinner  given  by  the  Count  and  Countess  in  our 
honor,  during  Rudi's  sojourn  with  us,  the  flowers  in  the 
banqueting-hall  alone  represented  a  value  of  over  £6000 
sterling.  The  table-cloth,  of  old  Venetian  point,  was  en- 
tirely covered  with  white  camellias,  forming  an  indescrib- 
ably lovely  velvety  mass,  while  the  plates  of  jewelled 
Sevres  were  each  of  them  surrounded  by  a  fragrant  circle 
of  pale-pink  roses.  The  middle  and  side  pieces  of  the 
surtout  represented  a  stag-hunt,  sumptuously  wrought 
and  chased  in  pure  gold.  Long  garlands  of  camellias 
and  rose-hued  lilies  drooped  from  the  ceiling,  forming 
a  sort  of  quaintly  ideal  tent  over  the  table,  and  a  tall 
hedge  of  white  and  crimson  azaleas  raised  their  silky 
blossoms  against  the  diapered  gold  of  the  walls.  Sixty 
footmen  with  powdered  heads,  in  white  plush  liveries 
worked  with  silver,  served  the  thirty  guests  under  the 
direction  of  three  butlers  and  a  major-domo.  All  the 
women  present  were  in  court-dress  with  gemmed  stom- 
achers, tiaras,  and  diamond-encrusted  orders  glittering 
beneath  their  fair  shoulders.  The  men  either  wore 
gala  uniforms  or  the  national  costume  of  costly  velvet, 
fur,  and  jewels. 

This  dinner  took  place  a  few  days  after  my  adventure 
with  the  Cossacks,  and  the  general  officer  in  command 
of  the  various  detachments  of  that  corps  on  that  por- 
tion of  the  frontier  was  one  of  the  guests  of  the  evening. 
At  dessert  he  spoke  of  this  ridiculous  incident,  not  dream- 
ing, of  course,  that  the  heroine  thereof  was  sitting  across 
the  table  from  him.  He  concluded  his  recital  by  saying, 
with  a  hearty  laugh :  "  My  men  were  quite  staggered 
when  they  saw  that  pretty  she-devil  fly  across  the  river 
as  if  both  herself  and  her  marvellous  steed  were  en- 
dowed with  wings.  Had  their  wounded  comrade  not 
shown  sorry  proofs  of  her  tangibility,  I  believe  that  to 
their  dying  day  they  would  think  they  had  pursued  a 

179 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

spirit.  I  myself  would  give  much  to  know  who  this 
little  imp  of  Satan  was. " 

Impelled  by  Heaven  knows  what  unconquerable  love 
of  mischief,  I  said,  calmly  and  with  becoming  modesty : 
"I  was  that  imp,  general!" 

He  stared  helplessly  at  me,  for  my  young  face  and 
small,  slender  form  were  not  in  keeping  with  his  precon- 
ceived idea  of  a  daring  Amazon,  galloping  alone  on 
forbidden  ground,  and  felling  worthy  Cossacks  to  the 
earth  with  a  blow  from  her  mighty  arm.  Everybody 
laughed  until  they  cried,  excepting  Karl,  who  looked 
daggers  at  me,  and  the  poor  general,  who  remained 
silent  and  ill  at  ease  for  the  rest  of  the  evening,  in  spite 
of  my  sincere  and  eager  attempts  to  cheer  him  up,  and 
to  make  him  forget  his  involuntary  faux-pas  and  my 
deviltry  in  placing  him  in  so  awkward  a  position 

In  the  vast  forests  surrounding  Count  Maurice's 
enormous  domain,  the  bear,  the  wolf,  and  the  wild 
boar  are  hunted  with  all  the  splendor  of  royal  hunts, 
and  the  moon  and  torch-lit  curees  in  the  great  cour 
d'honneur  at  night  are  a  sight  not  often  seen  in  our 
commonplace  and  prosaic  times. 

During  the  months  I  spent  out  there  I  was  able  to 
thoroughly  appreciate  the  startling  contrast  between 
the  rough  daring  life  of  the  soldier,  the  misery  of  the 
peasant,  and  of  the  impoverished  aristocrat,  the  sordid- 
ness  and  villany  of  the  Jews,  and  the  quasi-barbaric 
luxury  displayed  by  those  nobles  who,  as  I  said  already, 
still  possess  immense  fortunes.  An  interesting  one 
at  any  rate  is  this  life  on  the  frontier;  and  I  finally  grew 
to  like  it,  the  bracing  and  violent  exercises,  the  long 
rides  and  drives,  the  hunts,  and  also  the  f$tes  at  the 
many  chateaux,  where  we  were  so  cordially  and  eager- 
ly welcomed. 

During  the  whole  of  October  and  November  we  hunted 

180 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

four  times  a  week,  and  I  was  pleased  at  being  nearly 
always  the  first  in  at  the  death,  and  of  obtaining  the 
foot  or  brush,  although  I  was  fast  becoming  a  trifle 
blas£e  on  that  score. 

Many  were  the  golden  pheasants,  red  partridges,  and 
spotted  snipes  that  fell  victims  to  my  gun,  and  in  my 
youthful  exuberance  I  began  to  pride  myself  on  what  I 
audaciously  called  my  unerring  aim. 

In  December  we  went  wolf-hunting.  One  generally 
waits  to  begin  this  fascinating  kind  of  sport  until  the 
season  is  sufficiently  advanced  to  render  the  animals 
furious  with  hunger  and  emboldened  to  give  battle.  We 
used  to  start  at  ten  or  eleven  o'clock  on  moonlit  nights. 
Four  of  our  swiftest  horses  were  put  to  the  sleigh,  the 
management  of  which  was  confided  to  a  remarkably 
able  driver.  All  depends  on  this  personage  during 
these  expeditions;  if  he  lose  his  head  or  his  grip  on 
the  ribbons,  and  allows  the  frightened  horses  to  run 
away  during  the  chase,  one  stands  an  excellent  chance 
of  being  thrown  off  the  low  vehicle  and  devoured  by  the 
ravenous  wolves.  A  bundle  of  straw  is  tied  behind 
the  sleigh  and  allowed  to  drag  in  the  snow  as  a  bait. 
A  sucking-pig  wrapped  in  a  strong  canvas  bag  is  taken 
along,  and  occasionally  the  poor  little  brute  is  pinched, 
so  that  his  dismal  squeaks  may  attract  the  attention 
of  the  wolves  and  make  them  start  in  hot  pursuit  on 
the  chance  of  a  hearty  supper. 

When  once  started  at  full  speed  on  the  smooth  white 
hardened  plain,  one  soon  comes  in  sight  of  whole  squad- 
rons of  wolves,  their  long,  crouching  gallop  falling 
noiselessly  on  the  frozen  snow,  their  emerald-green 
eyes  lighting  up  the  silvery  dusk  of  the  night  like  myr- 
iads of  supernatural  glow-lamps,  their  low,  growling 
bay  sounding  like  distant  subdued  thunder  of  a  peculiar- 
ly sinister  kind.  As  soon  as  they  are  near  enough, 

181 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A  PRINCESS 

one  pegs  away  at  them  with  ball  cartridges,  and  it  is 
not  unusual  to  kill  from  one  hundred  to  three  hundred 
animals  in  one  night.  I  know  of  no  excitement  com- 
pared to  this,  as  one's  life  is  continually  hanging  on  a 
thread,  and  the  swiftness  of  the  motion,  coupled  with 
the  delight  of  success  when  the  fierce,  ungainly  beasts 
fall  one  by  one,  victims  to  one's  skill,  is  enough  to  stir 
up  the  tamest  blood. 

The  most  passionate  lovers  of  wolf-hunting  whom 
I  have  ever  met  were  Count  and  Countess  C.  and 
Count  and  Countess  W.-D.  Both  these  families  pos- 
sess fortunes  of  royal  proportions,  and  belong  to  the 
noblest  stock  in  Russia.  Indeed,  of  all  the  members 
of  the  then  Czar's  court,  the  C.'s  were  the  only 
ones  accepted  by  the  sovereigns  as  personal  friends 
and  relatives,  and  allowed  the  enjoyment  of  absolute 
freedom  from  all  etiquette  when  in  the  imperial  presence. 
Such  personages  have  nothing  to  gain  either  financially 
or  in  rank  from  the  monarch's  favor,  and  their  utter 
and  whole-souled  devotion  to  the  crown  is  of  a  most 
beautiful  and  disinterested  nature. 

Another  enrage"  on  the  subject  of  wolf-hunting  was 
in  those  days  Prince  S.,  later  Duke  of  B.  This 
amiable  personage  was  an  original,  if  ever  there  was 
one,  and  the  most  litigious  of  all  noblemen  in  the  length 
and  breadth  of  the  universe,  for  at  one  period  of  his  ex- 
traordinary career  he  managed  to  entangle  himself  in 
an  inextricable  net  of  over  sixty  different  lawsuits! 
Indeed,  if  gratitude  were  a  sentiment  of  which  lawyers 
were  capable,  the  legal  fraternity  should  long  ere  this 
have  erected  a  magnificent  statue  de  reconnaissance  to 
him,  for  he  has  proved  an  absolute  and  inexhaustible 
gold-mine  to  the  profession. 

But  all  this  is  quite  beside  the  question,  and  I  render 
myself  culpable  of  idle  gossip,  so  I  would  far  rather  re- 

182 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

turn  to  our  chases  and  hunts  out  there  in  the  wilds, 
during  that,  to  me,  memorable  autumn  and  winter. 

"  As  fleet-winged  birds  flit  round  from  bough  to  bough, 
So  do  my  restless  thoughts  flit  backward  now; 
As  sweets  are  gathered  by  the  honey-bees, 
So  do  my  musings  call  glad  memories  I" 

"T&rjunk  vissza  a  mi  ugyunkre!"  as  the  good  old 
saying  goes.     (Let  us  return  to  the  business  in  hand !) 


CHAPTER  XII 

"  These  are  the  Four  that  are  never  content,  that  have  never  been 

filled  since  the  Dews  began : 

Jacala's  mouth,  and  the  glut  of  the  Kite,  and  the  hands  of  the 
Ape,  and  the  greed  of  Man!" 

"  WELL,  if  you  think  you  can  ride  the  horses  she  does, 
you  have  a  pretty  good  conceit  of  yourself,  that's  all 
I've  got  to  say,  my  lad!" 

The  words  struck  my  ear,  while  my  hunter  sidled  and 
backed  here  and  there,  flinging  his  delicate  head  im- 
patiently about,  and  tossing  snowy  flakes  of  foam  over 
my  faultless  habit.  Try  as  I  might,  I  could  not  help 
laughing  at  the  discomfiture  of  the  imperial  heir-pre- 
sumptive and  the  dumfounded  expression  which  came 
over  his  peaked,  sallow  features,  this  Prince  whom 
the  portly  keeper  of  the  "Stag-Hound  Inn"  had  mis- 
taken for  an  ordinary  mortal,  a  mere  unit  among  the 
largest  meet  of  the  season. 

I  turned  my  restless  horse  away,  fearing,  in  my  mis- 
chievous delight,  that  I  might  be  tempted  to  set  the  Boni- 
face right  regarding  the  lofty  status  of  his  august  in- 
terlocutor. But  as  I  did  so  I  caught  the  Prince's  amazed 
protest,  as  well  as  the  reply  thereto,  which  must  have 
been  hard  to  swallow,  for  I  heard  myself  referred  to  as  a 
"  spirited,  plucky,  fearless,  fine  madam,  worth  a  dozen 
brace  of  washed-out  dudes!" 

This  finished  me  up,  and  I  fled  across  a  field,  putting 
my  hands  down  upon  the  withers  of  my  excited  thor- 
oughbred to  steady  him.  I  was  literally  choking  with 
laughter,  and  the  flat,  melancholy  country-side,  with  its 

184 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

cover  of  clustering  wind -torn  trees,  its  many  sullen- 
looking  streams,  running  at  mill-race  speed  through 
the  tall  grasses  of  the  plain,  seemed  transformed  pro 
tempo  into  a  land  of  enchantment  for  me. 

I  had  no  great  liking  for  this  arrogant,  bumptious, 
imperial  princelet — now  a  great  and  mighty  emperor. 
Besides,  I  was  so  young  and  ardent  a  sportswoman  that 
even  so  strange  a  compliment  as  that  just  mentioned 
went  straight  to  my  heart. 

I  gazed  with  rapture  at  the  boundless  vistas  of  green 
prairie  and  russet  and  tawny  colored  trees,  and  at  the 
undulating  range  of  the  distant  mountains,  showing 
faintly  in  the  dim  distance,  as  I  swept  rapidly  over  the 
magnificent  park  and  grounds  of  our  M.  S.  H.  Count 
Maurice  P.,  whom  I  have  already  mentioned  in  the 
preceding  chapter,  and  at  whose  gates  we  awaited  the 
departure  of  the  hunt. 

J  was  recalled  to  the  business  on  hand  by  the  eagerly 
expected  notes  of  the  horn,  sounding  the  "Depart." 


went  the  sweet,  shrill,  somewhat  rauque  harmony,  so 
dear  to  all  true-born  followers  of  Nimrod  and  of  Diana. 
The  music  of  the  horn  was  followed  by  lusty  cheers; 
the  hounds  wheeled  round  and  began  to  work  in  an 
almost  mathematically  straight  line  of  waving  tails  and 
glossy  backs  after  a  glorious  red  stag,  who  at  once  gave 
us  a  taste  of  his  power  by  leaping,  with  one  admirable, 
clean  jump,  across  the  bubbling  waters  of  the  little  river 
which  gleamed  amid  tall  reeds  and  rushes. 

185 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

Indeed,  the  stag  started  off  on  his  long  journey  as  su- 
perbly as  ever  did  hunted  animal,  his  pursuers  sailing 
away  at  the  tail  of  the  pack,  none  more  forward,  I  may 
humbly  add,  than  myself  and  my  darling  sorrel  stallion, 
"Golden  Arrow." 

We  crossed  a  broad,  sandy  road,  the  hounds  stream- 
ing before  us,  and  the  master  hallooing  like  mad  and 
uncurling  the  long,  supple  lash  of  his  whip  with  exu- 
berant energy.  The  animal  de  chasse  was  by  now  but 
a  distant  speck,  bounding  on  the  elastic  turf. 

Ah!  but  this  was  galloping!  I  bent  my  head  down, 
closing  my  lips  tightly  to  prevent  the  swishing  breeze 
from  parching  my  mouth  and  throat,  but  my  soul  was 
quivering  with  joy,  and  I  envied  the  master  his  stento- 
rian voice,  for  I,  too,  would  have  loved  to  shout  and 
cheer  and  give  vent  to  my  uncontrollable  enthusiasm. 

Soon  our  course  lay  through  tangled,  dangerous 
grass-fields,  over  huge  hedges  and  yawners,  which 
emptied  several  saddles,  without,  however,  slackening 
our  thundering  pace  until  the  stag  lost  himself  momen- 
tarily in  the  depths  of  a  pine  wood. 

This  short  check  was  timely,  for  both  horses  and 
riders  were  beginning  to  feel  the  strain  on  their  muscles 
and  lungs.  But  soon  we  were  off  again;  the  hounds 
rushed  into  a  thicket,  picked  up  the  scent,  and  the  race 
began  once  more. 

Doggedly  and  stubbornly  did  we  now  gallop,  for  the 
deer  just  viewed  had  cleared,  with  apparently  quite  un- 
impaired strength,  a  blackthorn  hedge  nearly  seven 
feet  high.  A  fearful  scramble  among  the  hounds  en- 
sued, and  the  huntsmen  whipped  them  off,  cursing 
savagely  under  their  breath  at  the  delay,  although  the 
poor  brutes'  eagerness  was  well  worthy  of  praise  after 
this  exhausting  run.  We  had  now  reached  a  wild  and 
very  rugged  portion  of  the  country ;  dusk  was  falling, 

186 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

and  a  cold  wind,  blowing  through  the  rustling  needles 
of  the  pines,  chilled  us  to  the  bone. 

Truly  the  situation  was  becoming  interesting.  No- 
where was  there  a  sign  of  life,  save  when  a  plover  rose 
suddenly  with  a  whistling  shriek  from  the  rush-fringed 
edge  of  a  water-course,  and  of  all  those  who  had  started 
so  gayly,  there  were  only  seven  riding  with  the  pack — 
the  master,  his  son,  who  was  then  a  brilliant  young  of- 
ficer of  Chasseurs,  two  huntsmen,  the  imperial  Prince, 
Rudi,  and  myself. 

"  Golden  Arrow's  "  heart  was  thumping  furiously  un- 
der his  dark-green  girths,  and  these  frantic  beats  seemed 
but  an  echo  of  my  own  breathless  gasps.  I  glanced  at 
the  tiny  watch  set  in  the  handle  of  my  whip,  and  was 
amazed  to  find  that  the  run  had  lasted  two  hours  and 
fifty-five  minutes,  including  that  one  blissful  check. 

At  that  moment  the  stag,  who  very  probably  felt  satis- 
fied with  the  excellent  dance  he  had  led  us,  rushed  into 
a  marshy,  slimy  pool,  sheltered  by  a  semicircle  of  jag- 
ged, moss-grown  rocks,  where  he  stood  at  bay,  looking 
as  fresh  as  if  he  had  but  just  been  started. 

My  hunter  pricked  up  his  dainty  ears,  sniffed  the  air, 
and  twitched  with  passionate  impatience  at  his  snaffle ; 
his  blood  was  up,  his  soft  eyes  danced  with  ardor  and 
flashed  with  excitement.  No  wonder,  for  that  headlong 
rush  through  the  bracing  air  was  positively  pregnant 
with  mirth  and  mischief,  which  that  neck  -  or  -  nothing 
chase  could  alone  have  produced  upon  horse  and  rider ; 
and  the  hunting-fire  was  in  "  Golden  Arrow/'  as  it  was 
in  myself.  Across  the  hilly  rise  of  the  turf,  through 
the  brushwood,  'twixt  the  gnarled  boles  of  trunks  black- 
ening in  the  fast-gathering  shadows,  the  hounds  rushed 
up  pell-mell,  and,  splashing  with  frenzy  through  the 
shallow  pool,  threw  themselves  upon  the  grand  animal 
who  had  nearly  saved  his  foot,  but  who  was  killed  with 

187 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

the  customary  "ivho-whoop"  ringing  far  and  wide  to 
the  very  peaks  of  the  mountains.  As  loud  a  shout,  I 
should  say,  as  was  ever  echoed  by  the  ringing  cheers  of 
any  hunt  in  the  world. 

"After  him,  my  beauties  —  my  beauties — tally-ho! 
Hark  forward!"  I  fairly  shrieked,  quite  as  wild  by  this 
time  as  "Golden  Arrow,"  who  curvetted  and  danced 
madly  under  me.  But  the  "  death  "  cooled  me  off,  for 
I  never  have  been  able  to  witness  without  a  shudder  this 
sudden  collapse  of  a  royal-courageous  beast,  whose 
pluck  and  endurance  have  been  all  in  vain,  and  who 
sinks  butchered  beneath  the  blow  of  a  cruel  knife,  a  blow 
dealt  savagely,  ruthlessly,  and  with  a  sort  of  ghastly, 
inane  joy. 

"Oh,  Lord!"  I  whispered,  "I  wish  I  were  a  better 
huntress." 

"  Nekem  vgy  latszik,  hogy,  onnek  nines  szuksege  ta 
nitora"  (meseems  you  don't  need  a  teacher),  replied 
Rudi;  but  I  exclaimed,  impatiently,  "Of  course  I  do, 
but  you  know  how  the  saying  goes,  '  Ki  farkassal  tart, 
annak  vonitni  kell '  (he  that  herds  with  wolves  must  learn 
to  howl),  and  I  will  yet  rid  myself,  some  time  or  other,  of 
this  cursed  weakness. " 

My  comrade  laughed  again.  "  Annal  jobb"  (so 
much  the  better),  he  cried,  "you  little  fool!  Muzzi, 
Muzzi,  confound  it,  when  will  you  cease  to  be  so  damn- 
ably soft-hearted?  You  have  so  many  manly  qualities 
in  your  little  tiny  self,  why  on  earth  can't  you  carry 
matters  further  a  bit,  and  give  up  feeling  sorry  for  every 
man,  woman,  child,  or  beast  in  distress?  It  spoils  the 
whole  effect.'" 

"Shut  up!  Rudi,"  I  retorted;  "you  are  more  soft- 
hearted than  I  am.  Don't  pose,  please." 

"Well,  and  supposing  I  am,  what  of  it,  you  goose? 
It's  absurd  to  pity  any  living  creature  whose  death  is  as 

1 88 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

swift  and  painless  as  that  stag's  was;  it  is  to  linger  that 
would  be  hellish." 

Many  years  later  these  words  of  my  comrade's  re- 
curred to  me  and  made  my  agony  of  sorrow  and  regret 
for  him  less  poignant. 

In  spite  of  my  extreme  fatigue,  I  was  nevertheless 
sorry  when  the  hunt  was  over.  Whatever  I  might  be 
elsewhere,  my  one  ambition  was  to  remain  always  the 
queen  of  the  hunting-field  When  in  the  saddle,  an 
unconquerable  desire  of  being  ever  first  behind  the 
hounds  took  possession  of  me,  and  gave  me  the  grit  to 
urge  my  invariably  difficult  horses  over  gates  and 
fences,  springing  deer-like  on  innumerable  on-and-off 
doubles,  in  order  to  maintain  a  continual  racing  speed 
from  which  nothing  but  a  fall  could  turn  me. 

I  do  not  think  that  I  had  even  then,  in  these  the  most 
buoyant  days  of  my  youth,  a  grain  of  vanity,  but  of  my 
gwem'-magical  influence  over  horses  I  was  inordinately 
proud.  It  had  won  for  me  the  one  affection  I  valued 
most,  that  of  my  Empress,  and,  even  had  it  done  naught 
else  for  me,  I  should  have  been  well  satisfied. 

The  "  foot "  was  my  prize  on  the  day  of  the  memorable 
run  above  described,  and,  although  I  had  hunted  long 
enough  to  have  become  a  bit  blasee  with  regard  to  such 
honors,  yet  I  confess  that  I  was  sincerely  delighted  to 
see  it  dangling  at  the  off  side  of  my  saddle. 

"I  trust  that  somebody  will  have  the  goodness  to 
tell  me  where  we  are,"  panted  Count  Maurice,  sliding 
from  his  wellnigh  done-up  horse.  "  I  cannot  remember 
leading  such  a  steeple-chasing  hunt  as  this  one  for  many 
a  long  year,  and,  although  I  imagined  that  I  knew  the 
country  well,  yet  do  I  now  solemnly  give  myself  up  for 
lost." 

His  words  were  greeted  by  a  merry  ripple  of  laughter, 
which  made  us  momentarily  ignore  our  sad  plight  and 

189 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

the  probable  loss  of  our  dinner,  not  to  mention  an  in- 
terminable jogging  towards  home  at  the  dead  of  night- 

Stobo,  the  oldest  of  the  two  huntsmen,  an  undersized 
man  of  forty  or  thereabouts,  with  a  hatchet  face,  cun- 
ning, greenish-blue  eyes  sunk  in  a  much  weather-beaten 
countenance,  and  a  nose  pointed  like  that  of  a  ferret,  ap- 
proached/cap in  hand.  In  a  voice  as  foggy  as  if  he  had 
followed  the  sea  as  a  profession  from  his  earliest  youth, 
he  informed  us  that  we  were  close  to  the  mountains, 
and  that  a  mile  farther  on  we  would  find  some  sort  of  a 
village  where  perchance  we  might  obtain  bread  and 
sour  milk,  or  even  barsch-soup,  besides  fodder  for  our 
tired-out  mounts.  A  delectable  outlook,  indeed ! 

"Show  the  way!"  growled  the  Count,  to  whom  the 
prospect  evidently  did  not  appeal.  "God  send  that 
we  may  drag  ourselves  there  without  being  called  upon 
to  carry  the  horses. " 

I  burst  into  irrepressible  laughter,  which  haut-fait 
seemed  to  irritate  our  choleric  master,  for  he  paused  with 
one  foot  in  the  stirrup,  and,  turning  his  keen  eyes  tow- 
ards us,  cried  out,  wrathf ully : 

"  Wait  until  you  are  as  old  as  I  am,  and  doubled  up 
with  rheumatism  —  then  see  whether  you'll  laugh  at 
the  comforts  of  a  situation  like  the  present/' 

"  You  are  not  at  all  old,"  I  replied,  checking  any  sign 
of  my  unholy  joy.  "Prince  William  here  is  ten  times 
more  fagged  out  than  you  are,  and  Heaven  knows  that 
age  or  rheumatism  cannot  serve  him  as  an  excuse." 

This  unfortunate  youngster  glared  at  me  furiously, 
while  the  Count,  thoroughly  pacified,  vaulted  into  his 
saddle  and  began  pounding  down  a  muddy  path, 
overhung  with  birch-trees,  the  drooping  leaves  of  which 
showered  damply  upon  our  shoulders  as  we  followed 
his  burly  form  and  the  lean  silhouette  of  Stobo,  our 
attractive  leader. 

190 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

"Have  a  cigarette,  Muzzi,"  exclaimed  the  irrepres- 
sible Rudi.  "You  and  Willy  join  me  in  a  calumet  of 
peace." 

"Why  of  peace?"  I  retorted,  tentatively,  looking  up 
into  the  merry  eyes  of  "  my  comrade  Rudi " — this  being 
the  titular  etiquette  of  our  brotherly  and  sisterly  af- 
fection. 

He  shamelessly  stuck  out  his  forefinger  towards  the 
Prince,  who  had  by  this  time  sunk  to  the  gloomy  depths 
of  a  bona-fide  fit  of  sulks. 

Poor  Prince!  His  ordinarily  pallid  and  somewhat 
volcanic  complexion  seemed  to  have  faded  to  a  putty 
hue,  and  we  had  the  joke  entirely  to  ourselves !  Indeed, 
there  was  something  warlike  and  almost  defiant  in  the 
thin,  sternly  set  lips  and  coldly  glittering  eyes  of  the 
lad. 

Suddenly  he  jogged  off  at  a  sort  of  obstinate  plodding 
trot,  leaving  us  far  behind  in  the  fast-gathering  gloom. 

"Mad  as  a  hatter,"  laughed  Rudi.  "Don't  mind 
him,  Muzzi ;  he  will  recover  his  fine  manners  when  his 
stomach  is  full." 

"Mind  him — you  may  be  sure  I  don't,  poor  chap!  but 
I  am  very  sorry  to  have  nagged  him.  He  is  an  unfort- 
unate sort  of  a  boy,  and  it  is  a  shame  to  make  fun  of 
him." 

This  wave  of  good  sentiment  was  broken  by  our  ex- 
tremely opportune  arrival  at  the  little  mountain  village, 
which  to  us  was  the  land  of  promise,  but  which  geo- 
graphical authorities  have  not  honored  with  recogni- 
tion, and  is  only  to  be  found  on  the  most  minute  and 
complete  of  staff  maps. 

As  is  invariably  the  case  in  those  regions,  the  village 
was  built  entirely  of  wood,  the  Jewish  houses  being 
distinguishable  from  those  of  the  peasants  by  an  extra 
coating  of  harsh  blue  coloring  on  their  thinly  plastered 

191 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

walls.  As  we  passed  under  the  shrank,  a  gigantic  and 
most  dangerous-looking  pine-wood  post,  painted  in  the 
national  colors,  which  crosses  all  roads  leading  into 
villages,  and  bounds  up  in  the  air  at  a  touch  of  the 
toll-gatherer  in  a  most  uncanny  fashion,  in  order  to  let 
carriages  or  riders  pass  by,  a  crowd  of  natives  came 
running  out  of  their  hovels  to  gaze  at  us  with  an  admi- 
ration which  our  muddy  and  exhausted  condition  did 
not  deserve  or  invite. 

A  thin,  scraggy  Jew,  wearing  a  long  kaftan  and 
greasy  peiches,  or  side  curls,  hurried  out  of  a  dirty  little 
inn  standing  by  the  road-side  and  entreated  us,  with  a 
most  imploringly  comical  gesture  of  his  grimy  hands, 
to  honor  him  with  our  visit. 

I  have  seen  many  Jews  during  my  life,  alas !  orthodox 
and  unortho'dox  ones,  but  a  frowzier,  more  uninviting- 
looking  specimen  of  "  the  chosen  race  "  it  has  never  been 
my  luck  to  encounter.  Even  the  hounds  seemed  to 
recoil  from  him,  and  drew  back  snarling  between  the 
very  legs  of  our  horses. 

"II  faut  faire  contre  fortune  bon  coeur,"  sighed  the 
Count,  throwing  the  reins  of  his  hunter  over  its  neck, 
and  descending  heavily  to  the  ground,  which  was  a 
strange  mixture  of  sharp  pebbles,  rotting  vegetable 
matter,  and  dark-hued  slime  of  a  most  offensive  quality. 
We  all  followed  his  example  and  filed  into  the  low- 
ceiled  Wein  -  Schenke,  where  we  were  met  and  almost 
suffocated  by  an  all-pervading  stench  of  onions,  stale 
cheese,  sour  beer,  and,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  filth. 

I  noticed  that  Stobo,  who  had  preceded  us  to  parley 
with  mine  host  in  a  strange  patois  which  was  unknown 
to  me,  looked  at  the  villanous  innkeeper  with  a  stare 
of  something  more  than  the  usual  contempt  and  dis- 
gust which  is  the  undisputed  portion  of  any  member  of 
the  Jewish  race  when  addressed  by  a  Christian  out  there. 

192 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

Indeed,  the  tone  of  the  conversation  was  so  cutting 
and  so  terse  on  one  side,  and  so  cringing  and  obsequious 
on  the  other,  that  I  was  quite  amazed  that  any  human 
creature  would  permit  himself,  as  this  Jew  did,  to  be  thus 
addressed  without  showing  so  much  as  a  sign  of  re- 
sentment or  indignation. 

After  a  few  minutes  of  such  pleasant  palaver,  Stobo 
came  nearer  and  informed  us  that  we  could  obtain  bread 
and  cheese  and  also  some  rosoglio  and  ale  to  wash  down 
this  enticing  fare.  A  pitiable  groan  from  the  Count 
and  a  derisive  chuckle  from  Rudi  were  all  the  answer 
given,  and  with  praiseworthy  resignation  we  sat  down 
at  a  rickety  table,  innocent  of  any  kind  of  napery,  which 
was  soon  covered  with  foggy  glasses,  black  bread,  and 
that  horror  of  all  horrors,  sheep-cheese,  a  whitish,  glis- 
tening, moist  substance,  the  rubber-like  elasticity  of 
which  no  teeth  on  earth  can  hope  to  reduce  to  any- 
thing digestible. 

I  have  retained  very  clearly  in  my  mind's  eye  the  pict- 
ure presented  by  this  abominable  little  way-side  eating- 
house,  down  to  the  most  unimportant  detail,  and  what  a 
picture  it  was!  Rembrandt  mayhap  would  have  de- 
lighted in  the  rich,  dusky  hue  of  the  exceptionally  un- 
clean walls,  and  in  the  fitful  gleams  of  ruddy  glow 
thrown  upon  the  even  filthier  and  darker  rafters  over- 
head by  a  fire  of  pine  cones  and  needles  crackling  in  the 
stove.  But  what  effect  of  light  and  shadow,  be  it  never 
so  artistic,  could  compensate  the  strong  smell  of  sheep 
and  garlic,  and  the  abominable  dirtiness  of  our  surround- 
ings, especially  the  painful  assiduity  of  that  awful, 
feline,  soft-footed  Jew,  who  hovered  above  us  like  a  bird 
of  ill-omen,  casting  glances  of  fear  and  of  malignity  from 
his  little  red-rimmed,  bead-like  eyes  about  him,  as  he 
nervously  attended  to  our  wants?  So  great  was  his 
apparent  terror  that  one  would  have  been  justified  in 
N  193 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

supposing  that  he  believed  us  capable  of  having  purpose- 
ly come  to  sack  and  pillage  his  place  and  to  put  his 
family  to  the  sword. 

I  could  bear  the  whole  thing  no  longer,  and,  jumping 
to  my  feet,  I  walked  to  the  little  window,  which,  in  lieu  of 
curtains,  was  garlanded  with  chaplets  of  onions  and  of 
black,  pungent  sausages. 

"The  moon  is  rising,  Count  Maurice/'  I  cried,  joy- 
fully; "can't  we  start?"  And  then,  catching  sight  of 
the  village  street,  as  my  eyes  slowly  descended  from 
the  pure,  star-studded  heavens  down  to  the  earth,  I  ex- 
claimed, "  Oh,  Lord !  what  is  the  matter ;  there  is  as  big 
a  crowd  outside  as  if  a  wedding  were  going  on  or  a 
murder  had  been  committed." 

I  had  been  speaking  in  German,  but  when  the  word 
Mord  (murder)  left  my  lips  the  wretched  Jewish  inn- 
keeper gave  a  squeal  like  that  of  a  shot  rabbit,  and, 
turning  on  his  heel,  fled  out  of  the  room  by  a  back  door. 

" Hullo,  what's  up  with  the  creature?"  exclaimed  the 
Count,  who  stopped  in  the  act  of  carrying  to  his  lips  a 
glass  of  thick,  pink,  syrupy  rosoglio,  and  wellnigh 
dropped  it  in  the  extremity  of  his  astonishment. 

Stobo,  who  had  until  now  stood  silently  behind  Rudi's 
chair,  took  a  step  towards  the  master,  and  respectfully 
whispered  something  in  his  ear. 

"  Good  heavens,  you  don't  say  so !  Why  in  thunder 
did  you  not  tell  us  before?  Pay  the  beggar  and  let  us 
be  off.  The  nasty,  contemptible  brute  1  Hurry  up,  I 
beg !  I'll  thank  you  to  see  that  the  horses  are  brought 
round  at  once;"  and  with  a  revolting  shrug  of  his  broad 
shoulders  Count  P.  seized  me  by  the  wrist  and  fairly 
dragged  me  out  of  the  house. 

Nothing  can  surely  equal  the  ravenous  curiosity  of 
village  populations,  and  it  seemed  as  if  we  would  never 
accomplish  the  task  of  mounting  our  horses,  for,  like  a 

194 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

herd  of  cattle,  stood  the  inhabitants  of  the  place  and 
possibly  of  all  its  neighboring  regions,  packed  closer 
to  each  other  than  sardines  in  a  box,  leaning  over  one 
another's  shoulders,  peering  beneath  one  another's 
arms — a  jostling,  struggling,  swaying  mass  of  human- 
ity, seething  about  us  in  their  endeavors  to  see  "the 
quality."  It  was  by  no  means  an  easy  job  to  extricate 
our  horses  and  dogs,  who  disliked  this  demonstration 
as  thoroughly  as  we  did,  from  such  a  throng. 

The  Count  was  by  this  time  as  angry  as  a  bear, 
and,  regardless  of  his  vassals'  feelings,  began  to  lay 
about  him  with  his  whip  in  no  measured  way,  yelling 
the  while  at  the  top  of  his  voice  for  them  to  fall  back, 
which  they  did  with  such  a  will  that  they  tumbled  help- 
lessly upon  each  other,  quarrelling  and  growling  in  the 
most  ludicrous  manner. 

Meanwhile  Rudi,  who  had  managed  to  bring  his  cur- 
vetting horse  alongside  of  mine,  whispered,  laughingly : 

"  This  is  the  day  for  exhibitions  of  some  choice  brands 
of  tempers.  Why,  what  between  our  dearest  master, 
and  friend  Willy,  we  have  had  a  rare  chance  of  ad- 
miring the  sweet  side  of  human  nature!  By-the-bye, 
what  made  our  revered  and  honored  M.  S.  H.  yank  you 
so  unceremoniously  from  the  festive  scene  of  our  Lucul- 
lian supper?" 

"Oh!  do  stop,  Rudi,"  I  said,  impatiently;  "you  are 
always  making  fun  of  everything  and  everybody.  That 
crowd  meant  kindly  just  now.  I'm  sorry  they  did  not 
pull  you  off  your  horse  in  their  enthusiasm,  and  as  to  the 
Count,  why,  he's  tired  and  a  wee  bit  sulky,  that's  all." 

I  deplore  to  state  that  at  this  juncture  a  volley  of  oaths 
met  our  ear,  emanating  from  the  dear  old  fellow  whom 
I  was  in  the  act  of  defending  against  my  comrade's 
accusations  of  ill-temper.  This  proved  to  be  the  last 
straw,  and  he  gave  vent  to  such  a  guffaw  that  Prince 

195 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

William  forgot  his  own  grievances  and  rode  up  to  us, 
inquiring  what  had  happened.  Rudi's  peals  of  laugh- 
ter rendering  him  unfit  to  reply,  I  answered  for  him, 
assuming  a  lofty  tone,  improvised  on  the  spur  of  the 
moment,  with  a  view  of  marking  my  disapproval  of  the 
imperial  and  imperious  young  man's  previous  shocking 
behavior.  Dignity  and  I,  however,  have  never  trotted 
amicably  in  double  harness,  and  my  assumption  of  a 
manner  so  foreign  to  me  had  the  result  of  making  the 
Prince  gaze  at  me  with  so  comical  an  expression  of  stu- 
pefaction that  my  facial  nerves  quickly  relaxed  into  a 
grin  almost  as  broad  as  Rudi's. 

By  this  time  it  was  nearly  eight  o'clock,  and  we 
seemed  to  be  riding  in  a  sea  of  deep  indigo,  studded  over- 
head by  myriads  of  bright  diamond  points,  and  rendered 
transparent  here  and  there  by  the  cold  light  of  a  glit- 
tering, sharp-edged  half-moon,  which  showed  its  mock- 
ing profile  above  the  black  scarps  of  some  forest-covered 
mountains.  The  horses  were  too  tired  for  us  to  dare 
attempt  a  trot  on  the  uneven  stone-strewn  path  we  were 
following,  and,  although  we  had  all  'donned  our  covert- 
coats,  we  formed  a  rather  pathetic  bunch  of  shivering 
riders,  while  the  hounds  dragged  themselves  painfully 
on  their  soft  pads,  looking  ghostly  in  the  fitful,  shifting 
light. 

Thoroughly  fatigued,  and  somewhat  bored,  too,  I  sud- 
denly turned  to  the  master,  who  was  almost  immedi- 
ately behind  me,  and  asked  him  what  had  caused  him 
to  leave  the  inn  so  precipitately. 

"  I  ought  to  have  apologized  already  for  ushering  you 
so  unceremoniously  out,  my  dear  child,"  he  replied, 
gravely;  "  but,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  my  disgust  at  dis- 
covering under  whose  roof  we  had  been  breaking  bread 
made  me  forget  what  little  manners  I  possess." 

"There  is  no  apology  needed,"  I  said,  quickly,  " but 

196 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

will  you  not  beguile  this  long  retreat  by  telling  us  what 
sort  of  a  discovery  you  made?" 

"A  very  unpleasant  one,  I  assure  you.  It  is  a  long 
story,  and  by  now  almost  a  forgotten  one,  yet  had  I 
known  who  that  beast  of  a  Jew  was  I  would  have  walk- 
ed home  hungry  and  led  my  horse  by  the  bridle,  and 
yours  as  well,  before  I  would  have  entered  his  filthy 
Schenke." 

These  words,  of  course,  whetted  qur  curiosity,  and 
we  clustered  around  him,  entreating  him  to  tell  us  the 
story.  It  proved  to  be  one  of  those  dramatic  incidents 
one  is  supposed  to  encounter  solely  in  novels,  but  which, 
in  spite  of  this  firmly  grounded  idea,  abound  in  real  life, 
especially  on  the  border-lands  of  civilization. 

I  do  not  think  that  Count  P.  was  what  one  might 
call  a  remarkable  raconteur;  yet  the  tale  he  told  us  that 
night  created  a  most  vivid  and  unforgettable  impression 
on  all  our  minds. 

"Some  years  ago,"  he  began,  "this  part  of  the  world 
was  even  more  desolate  and  wilder  than  it  is  to-day — 
which  is  saying  a  good  deal/'  he  added,  waving  the 
handle  of  his  whip  towards  the  gloomy  plain  which  we 
were  now  traversing.  "  In  the  winter,  especially,  travel- 
ling was  anything  but  pleasant,  and  gave  one  a  fair, 
idea  of  Siberian  trips.  Dear  me !  I  remember  well  those 
endless  sledge  drives  over  a  frozen  world,  the  steel-color- 
ed sky  above,  glowing  now  and  again  towards  the  east 
with  all  the  hues  of  the  aurora  borealis  at  night,  and 
during  the  day  the  dazzle  of  snow  and  ice  striking  one 
almost  blind.  The  poverty  of  the  people  was  some- 
thing to  be  remembered ;  it  is  pretty  bad  now,  but  then 
it  was  past  comprehension,  and  the  crass  ignorance, 
the  dirt,  the  drunkenness — bah!  it  makes  my  stomach 
heave  to  think  of  it !  You  may  be  sure  that  at  that  time, 
even  more  than  now,  the  cursed  Jew-traders  were  respon- 

197 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

sible  for  a  good  third  of  this  distressing  state  of  affairs, 
for  the  peasants,  as  is  their  worthy  habit,  even  to  this 
day,  in  order  to  obtain  wodka,  mortgaged  their  harvests 
before  they  were  sown,  and  would  have  sold  their  chil- 
dren, too,  at  so  much  a  pound  to  the  rascals,  had  it  been 
possible  to  do  so.  Well,  this  Schweinehund  (pig-dog) 
we  had  the  bliss  of  seeing  to-night  appeared  upon  the 
scene  some  forty  years  ago,  and  opened  a  sort  of  road- 
house,  at  the  side  of  the  highway.  He  prospered,  of 
course,  as  all  his  confounded  tribe  have  a  knack  of  do- 
ing, and  finally  succeeded  in  lording  it  over  the  whole 
village,  which  he  practically  owned.  Finally  he  man- 
aged to  force  a  small  Gutsbesitzer,  or  land -owner,  who 
was  deeply  in  his  debt,  to  give  him  his  daughter  in  mar- 
riage. Such  unions  were  very  rare  in  those  days,  and 
this  especial  one  aroused  the  deepest  indignation  for 
miles  around.  But  the  unfortunate  girl,  who  was  bare- 
ly sixteen  and  a  beauty,  was  coerced  by  her  drunken 
scamp  of  a  father  to  give  her  consent,  and  she  left  her 
comfortable  home — comparatively  speaking — to  share 
the  fortunes  of  the  execrable  usurer,  who  took  her  in 
payment  of  her  father's  indebtedness. 

"Finally  she  died  when  giving  birth  to  her  second 
child,  a  little  girl,  the  other  one  being  as  fine  a  specimen 
of  a  boy  as  was  ever  seen,  at  least  so  I  have  been  told. 
Time  passed  on,  and  the  usurer  became  more  and  more 
abhorred  and  feared,  until  finally  his  victims  turned 
en  masse  against  him,  and  his  luck  forsook  him 
to  such  an  extent  that  he  was  finally  reduced  to  a 
state  of  relative  poverty.  Long  before  this  occurred, 
however,  his  son  had,  as  soon  as  he  grew  up  to  boy- 
hood, fled  the  paternal  house,  no  one  knew  whither; 
while  the  daughter  was  transformed  into  a  sort  of  fille 
d'auberge,  who  bore  no  enviable  reputation,  and  shared 
with  her  sire  the  hatred  and  contempt  of  the  peasantry. 

198 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

Finally,  one  fine  day,  or  rather  night,  in  the  depths  of 
winter,  a  little  sleigh  drew  up  before  the  wretched  inn 
which  we  honored  with  our  presence  a  while  ago.  On 
the  threshold  of  the  half-open  door  stood  the  attractive- 
looking  daughter  of  the  Jew,  wearing  the  picturesque 
costume  of  our  peasant  women,  and  over  her  graceful 
head  a  flashy  silken  handkerchief  to  shield  her  from 
the  intense  cold.  The  traveller,  a  tall,  broad-shoul- 
dered man,  in  the  prime  of  youth,  and  wrapped  in  a 
costly  fur  pelisse,  jumped  out  of  the  sleigh,  and,  bowing 
courteously  to  her,  asked  whether  he  could  secure  a 
night's  lodging  at  the  pot-house,  of  which  she  seemed 
to  be  the  mistress.  She  answered  that  her  father  was 
from  home,  but  that  she  herself  would  see  to  his  comforts, 
and,  bidding  the  driver  carry  his  traps  into  an  extremely 
dirty  room,  the  door  of  which  she  threw  wide  open,  he 
followed  her  inside  the  house,  and  sat  down  wearily  on  a 
low  bench  before  the  glowing  stove. 

"  Without  speaking,  the  young  hostess  stood  by  the 
clumsy  table,  curiously  examining  her  handsome  guest 
through  two  glinting  slits  of  half-shut  eyes.  In  spite 
of  her  undeniable  beauty,  there  was  something  fierce 
and  cruel  in  the  expression  of  her  brilliant,  delicate  face, 
and,  on  the  only  occasion  when  I  saw  her,  her  swift, 
stealthy  movements  reminded  me  involuntarily  of  a 
young  leopard  about  to  spring  on  its  prey. 

"While  she  was  preparing  a  supper  for  him,  which 
doubtless  was  as  palatable  and  toothsome  as  the  one  we 
partook  of  with  so  much  relish  ourselves,  she  managed 
to  question  him  so  cleverly  and  adroitly  that,  although 
he  must  have  been  reluctant  to  answer,  she  learned  that 
he  was  very  well  off  and  travelling  for  a  great  furrier. 
A  little  later  she  ushered  him  to  a  miserable  room  under 
the  roof — I  saw  the  place  after  the  crime,  and  I  assure 
you  that  it  gave  me  a  shock,  so  dark  and  dismal  and 

199 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

mouldy  did  it  look.  She  watched  her  guest  as  he  un- 
fastened the  straps  of  his  portmanteaus,  and  scattered 
upon  the  crazy-looking  bed  and  unsteady  table  some 
magnificent  fur  rugs  and  other  costly  belongings ;  then, 
without  apology  or  even  a  word  of  good-night,  she  left 
him,  satisfied,  no  doubt,  with  what  she  had  seen. 

"  Now,  mind  you,  I'm  telling  you  this  story  as  it  was 
told  to  me,  and  I  do  not  vouch  for  details — it's  a  sort  of 
piecing  things  together  without  much  attempt  at  creat- 
ing an  effect;  but,  somehow,  the  whole  affair,  when  I 
think  of  it,  seems  to  paint  itself  upon  my  mental  retina, 
and  that  is  how  the  trick  comes  easy  to  me,  perhaps,  of 
making  you  see  the  dramatic  situation  just  as  it  appears 
so  often  to  my  imagination.  Moreover,  the  minute  de- 
tails of  the  incident  leaked  out  during  the  inquest  and 
trial,  so  that  I  need  be  no  conjurer  to  place  them  vividly 
before  you. 

"Well,  to  return  to  our  muttons,  or  rather  to  our  ami- 
able Hebrew  friends.  It  appears  that  upon  reaching 
the  lower  floor  the  girl  carefully  bolted  the  outside  en- 
trance ;  then,  stretching  herself  upon  the  projecting  ledge 
of  the  huge  porcelain  stove,  which  is,  as  you  know,  the 
bedstead  of  our  peasantry  in  winter,  she  listened  intently 
to  the  footsteps  of  her  guest  overhead.  Soon  these 
muffled  sounds  ceased,  and  the  silence  became  absolute 
and  intense,  broken  only  by  the  crackling  of  the  icicles 
on  the  roof. 

"  Two  hours  or  thereabouts  passed  thus,  and  still  the 
girl  on  the  stove-ledge  lay  motionless,  with  wide-open 
eyes,  which  wandered  uncannily  from  one  dark  corner 
to  another.  Suddenly  she  raised  her  small,  dark  head, 
and,  after  listening  for  a  few  seconds,  jumped  to  her  feet 
and  unbolted  the  door.  Outside  stood  a  man,  tall  and 
thin,  with  stooping  shoulders  and  the  repulsive,  lower- 
ing cast  of  countenance  which  you  had  the  ill  fortune  to 

200 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

gaze  upon  to-night.  He  shook  the  snow  from  his  long 
cloak  as  he  entered  he  room,  and  strode  towards  the 
stove,  where  he  proceeded  to  warm  his  half-frozen  hands, 
while  the  girl  hastened  to  place  his  supper  upon  the 
table. 

"  Then,  approaching  her  father — for  such  was  the  late 
visitor — she  whispered,  pointing  to  the  ceiling  with  her 
finger : 

"'There  is  a  gentleman  asleep  up  there,  a  fine  gentle- 
man, who  has  lots  and  lots  of  money  and  fine  clothes, 
and  a  fur  coat  fit  for  a  king.  He  came  late  to-night  and 
asked  for  supper  and  a  bed,  so  I  put  him  up  as  well  as  I 
could.  I  think  that  he  is  going  away  in  the  morning. 
He  told  me  he  was  a  fur-trader,  although  I  do  not  believe 
it,  and,  of  course,  he  cannot  get  anything  to  buy  or  sell 
in  this  place. ' 

"The  Jew  listened  to  this  whispered  report  without 
raising  his  head  from  the  coarse  fare  which  he  was 
greedily  consuming,  but,  as  she  paused  from  sheer  lack 
of  breath,  he  said,  musingly:  'A  rich  fur-trader,  eh? 
Did  he  tell  you  that  he  had  lots  of  money?' 

'"No/  the  girl  replied,  'he  did  not  tell  me  so,  natu- 
rally ;  but  when  I  took  him  to  his  room  he  opened  a  box 
full  of  gold  things,  and  I  saw  his  beautiful  furs  and 
velvets,  and  he  wears  a  diamond  on  his  finger,  and 
Mitchka,  who  drove  him  here  in  his  sleigh,  told  me  that 
he  had  given  him  five  rubles  for  himself — just  think 
of  it,  five  rubles  above  the  usual  price  for  driving  him 
here.  He  must  be  very  rich,  for  even  Their  Nobilities, 
when  they  hire  a  sleigh,  never  give  but  one  ruble  as  a 
tip  to  the  driver/ 

"  The  Jew  was  probably  foxy  enough  to  pretend  in- 
difference concerning  his  pretty  daughter's  prattle,  and 
merely  asked  her  whom  she  had  seen  that  day. 

"Offended  by  this  lack  of  interest  displayed  by  her 

201 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

worthy  parent,  she  answered  surlily  that  old  Ephraim 
had  called  to  see  him,  and  had  told  her  that  if  he  did  not 
send  him  some  money  by  the  end  of  the  week  he  would 
make  life  a  hell  for  him;  that  he  had  raved  about  the 
cruel  way  he  had  been  treated,  and  added  that  he  would 
show  no  mercy. 

"  This  time  the  girl  had  no  reason  to  complain  of  the 
effect  created  by  her  words,  for  the  Jew  was  hit  on  a  sore 
spot.  All  this  noise  was  about  a  couple  of  hundred 
rubles,  a  sum  that  he  had  borrowed  from  Ephraim 
five  years  before,  and  which  had  since  then  been  grow- 
ing larger  year  by  year,  because  that  unnatural  co- 
religionist only  consented  to  renew  the  paper  on  con- 
dition that  thieving  interests  should  be  added  to  the 
principal  every  time  the  sum  became  due. 

"  When  the  girl  had  retired  to  her  own  quarters,  leav- 
ing the  Jew  alone  with  his  unenviable  thoughts,  she 
heard  him  pacing  slowly  up  and  down  the  room,  mut- 
tering blood-curdling  curses  and  presumably  calculating 
his  chances  of  extricating  himself  successfully  from  the 
countless  difficulties  which  hedged  him  in  on  all  sides. 

"  It  was  by  that  time  approaching  the  hour  of  dawn, 
snow  was  falling  heavily,  and  the  wind,  which  had  risen, 
was  rattling  the  window-frames  and  howling  dismally 
around  the  corners  of  the  rickety  old  wooden  house. 
Stealthily  and  cautiously,  as  though  he  feared  to  awaken 
a  slumbering  infant,  the  Jew — as  he  explained  later — 
lighted  a  tallow  dip  at  the  glowing  embers  of  the  stove, 
and,  unfastening  the  drawer  of  a  worm-eaten  buffet  in 
the  corner,  drew  out  a  long  -  pointed,  slender  -  bladed 
knife,  which  he  kept  well  sharpened  for  the  purpose  of 
killing  sheep  in  the  season.  (The  picture  which  he  must 
have  presented  while  testing  the  razor-like  blade  on  the 
end  of  his  finger  should,  methinks,  have  been  a  pecul- 
iarly sinister  one,  with  the  flickering  light  of  the  splut- 

202 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A  PRINCESS 

tering  candle  throwing  g.  succession  of  reddish  shadows 
on  his  vile  countenance.)  When  satisfied  with  the  keen- 
ness of  the  murderous  weapon,  he  blew  out  the  candle, 
and,  removing  his  shoes,  returned  to  the  stove.  During 
a  few  moments  he  gazed  abstractedly  at  it  as  if  count- 
ing the  bricks  wherewith  it  was  constructed ;  then,  with 
another  curse — possibly  for  luck  this  time — he  crept  to 
the  staircase,  which  he  ascended  as  if  treading  on  eggs. 
These  highly  interesting  details  were  furnished  by 
himself  to  his  lawyers  before  the  trial,  and  he  said  also 
then  that  God  had  tempted  him,  if  you  please. 

"  In  the  room  above  all  was  perfectly  still.  The  dim 
light  from  the  dying  fire  was  bright  enough  to  show 
the  handsome  stranger  lying  stretched  out  at  full  length 
upon  the  bench-like  lounge,  his  blond  head  pillowed  on 
the  rich  blue  velvet  of  his  dressing-gown,  one  muscular 
white  hand  hanging  to  the  floor,  the  other  —  on  which 
sparkled  the  great  diamond — thrown  back  above  his 
head.  Gently  the  broad  chest  heaved,  and  the  slight 
creaking  of  the  door  did  not  even  cause  the  young  man 
to  turn  in  his  sleep.  Softly  and  cautiously  the  beastly 
wretch  drew  nearer  and  nearer,  until  he  touched  the 
edge  of  the  sofa ;  then,  with  one  swift  movement  of  his 
thin  but  powerful  arm,  he  plunged  the  long  knife  into 
the  side  of  his  unfortunate  guest.  Truly  did  the  blow 
go  home.  A  short  struggle,  a  gasp,  a  gurgle  as  of  a 
pump  filling  with  air,  then  silence  again,  broken  only 
by  the  hurried  breathing  of  the  assassin  bending  over 
his  victim.  The  knife,  which  stuck  in  the  ghastly 
wound,  prevented  it  from  bleeding  freely,  but  the  great 
blue  eyes  of  the  dead  man  had  opened  in  the  death  agony 
with  a  stare  of  boundless  horror  and  of  reproach.  With 
a  shudder  the  Jew  shrank  back,  and  slowly  retreated 
from  the  room  '&  reculon,'  never  once  taking  his  eyes 

off  the  dead  man's  face. 

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THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

"  When  he  once  more  reached  the  lower  floor,  his  first 
act  was  to  unlock  a  closet  where  he  kept  his  provision  of 
spirits,  and,  filling  a  tea-cup  to  the  brim  with  this  dan- 
gerously fiery  stuff,  cheap  wodka,  he  drained  it  to  the 
last  drop.  Somewhat  restored  by  this  copious  libation, 
he  entered  his  daughter's  room,  and,  shaking  her  by 
the  shoulder,  called  to  her  to  get  up. 

"  Completely  bewildered,  as  well  she  might  be,  the  girl 
confronted  her  father  with  blanched  lips  and  quivering 
limbs.  'What  do  you  want,  old  man?'  she  screamed. 
'  Are  you  drunk?  What  is  it  you  wish?' 

"'I  have  killed  your  fine  gentleman  because  I  want- 
ed his  gold  to  pay  Ephraim,  and  also  to  put  an  end  to 
your  eternal  taunts,  and  I  may  as  well  tell  you  that 
if  you  do  not  come  up-stairs  to  help  me  hide  the  corpse 
I  will  kill  you,  too.' 

"  With  a  groan  of  terror  the  girl  covered  her  face  with 
her  clasped  hands,  and  rocked  herself  to  and  fro,  moan- 
ing piteously.  At  last,  trembling  from  head  to  foot,  she 
reluctantly  followed  him.  She  read  in  his  eyes  that 
there  was  no  escape  for  her,  and  that  she  would  share 
the  traveller's  doom  were  she  to  refuse  to  accomplish 
the  gruesome  task  imposed  upon  her.  Two  hours  later, 
accordingly,  every  trace  of  the  awful  tragedy  had  dis- 
appeared from  view.  The  Jew,  whose  strength  was 
proverbial  for  miles  around — a  rather  remarkable  quality 
for  a  Jew  to  possess,  by-the-bye — had  carried  the  rigid 
body  into  a  small  outhouse,  where  he  concealed  it  under 
piles  of  fire-wood,  while  his  daughter,  who  was  grad- 
ually recovering  her  devil-may-care  pertness,  and  whose 
mean  little  heart  was  very  likely  beating  at  the  thought 
of  all  the  pleasures  which  the  gold  of  the  murdered  man 
would  procure  for  her,  busied  herself  diligently  with 
hiding  in  various  corners  of  the  house  all  his  covetable 
belongings.  Hers  was  so  wild,  untamed,  and  naturally 

204 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

cruel  a  nature  that,  despite  her  first  revolt  against  the 
bloody  deed,  she  would  doubtless  have  hesitated  now, 
had  it  been  within  her  power,  to  resuscitate  the  body 
of  the  young  stranger,  for  fear  of  having  to  restore  his 
treasures. 

"At  eight  o'clock  the  first  post-cart  stopped  on  its 
way  before  the  door.  The  Jewish  innkeeper  was  on 
duty,  as  usual,  and  the  dainty  little  mistress  of  the  house 
stood  on  the  threshold,  glancing  coquettishly  at  the 
driver,  from  under  the  silky  folds  of  her  flaring  kerchief. 
Among  the  passengers  was  the  owner  of  the  St.  Peter's 
inn,  the  best  which  our  town  boasts  of.  Big,  burly,  ru- 
bicund, and  good-natured,  Petrowski  Ivanovitch  was 
then  the  type  of  a  really  successful  Boniface. 

"  He  had  served  in  the  army,  was  a  hard  drinker,  and 
never  passed  a  Schenke  without  generously  treating  all 
his  companions  of  the  moment.  That  morning  Pe- 
trowski seemed  more  jovial  even  than  usual,  and,  jump- 
ing from  the  cart,  he  advanced,  exclaiming : 

" '  Ha !  ha !  you  old  fox !  you've  had  a  splendid  surprise, 
eh?  Upon  my  word,  I  don't  grudge  it  to  you,  although 
you  are  a  mean  old  Jew,  for  you  have  had  your  share  of 
bad  luck ;  but  still  such  a  stroke  of  fortune  will  make 
many  of  your  enemies  curse  you  the  more.' 

"'What  do  you  mean?'  said  the  amazed  innkeeper. 
'  I  have  had  no  stroke  of  luck  that  I  know  of/ 

'"No  stroke  of  luck!'  repeated  the  other,  with  evident 
surprise.  '  Why,  had  you  no  visitor  from  foreign  parts 
last  night?  What's  become  of  him,  then?' 

"The  father  and  daughter  exchanged  looks  which 
would  have  given  a  close  observer  food  for  reflection. 

" '  Well,'  the  Jew  admitted,  cautiously,  '  my  girl  says 
that  a  stranger  did  stop  for  a  bite  of  bread  and  cheese 
last  evening,  but  he  pursued  his  way  at  once.' 

" '  You  must  be  joking ;  it  isn't  possible.  I  told  him 

205 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

yesterday  when  he  left  my  house,  where  he  had  put  up 
for  the  night,  that  his  plan  was  a  bad  one.  I,  for  one, 
hate  practical  jokes  when  they  are  carried  too  far ;  but 
still  he  cannot  intend  to  wait  any  longer  before  showing 
himself  in  his  true  colors.  Why,  my  esteemed  friend, 
it's  your  own  son  who  ran  away  from  home  fifteen 
years  ago,  come  back  from  the  Americas  with  a  big 
fortune  for  you  and  that  little  girl  there,  who  is  going 
to  be  a  great  lady  now/ 

"'My  son!  My  son!  Oh,  God  of  revenge!  Is  it 
my  son,  my  first-born,  that  I  have  killed ! ' 

"  The  words  rang  out  dismally  and  re-echoed  on  the 
morning  wind,  while  the  assistants  stood  speechless 
with  horror,  unable  as  yet  to  realize  the  full  sense  con- 
veyed by  them.  With  a  piercing  shriek  the  girl  fell  face 
forward  on  the  snow  in  a  dead  faint,  while  her  father, 
tearing  at  his  scanty  locks,  ran  into  the  house,  calling 
to  those  about  him  to  come  and  see  the  body  of  his 
murdered  son." 

We  all  gasped  with  horror  as  the  Count  finished  his 
thrilling  story,  and  the  silence  remained  unbroken  for  a 
few  minutes,  except  for  the  regular  beating  of  our  horse's 
hoofs  on  the  hard  road.  Presently  the  thin  voice  of 
Prince  William  piped  forth : 

"Tell  me,  Count,  how  is  it  that  this  eminently  kind 
and  righteous  father  should  now  be  at  large,  instead 
of  having  long  ago  paid  the  penalty  of  his  abominable 
crime?" 

"Oh!  that  is  only  because  his  son's  money,  which  he 
inherited  in  spite  of  all,  more's  the  pity,  served  to  pay 
some  extremely  clever  lawyers  and  doctors  who  induced 
the  jury  to  believe  and  declare  that  the  old  devil  had  com- 
mitted this  revolting  deed  in  a  fit  of  temporary  insanity, 
brought  about  by  financial  troubles.  The  creature  was 
detained  in  a  lunatic  asylum  for  some  time,  and  when  he 

206 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

came  out  of  it  he  was  as  poor  as  ever,  and  his  fine  lady 
daughter  had  fled.  She  is,  I  have  been  told,  plying  a 
not  altogether  worthy  trade  in  Berlin ;  or  perhaps  she  is 
dead,  which  it  would  be  far  more  satisfactory  to  believe." 

Slowly  and  solemnly  far-away  church  bells  chimed 
out  the  Angelus,  the  muffled  sounds  echoing  sullenly 
over  the  plain,  which  was  broken  here  and  there  by 
clumps  of  dark  fir-trees.  Very  melancholy  did  the 
landscape  look  in  this  northern  twilight,  where  every- 
thing was  gray  and  motionless,  the  moon  glittering  in 
the  steel-hued  sky  and  shining  strongly  on  the  broad 
track,  framed  on  both  sides  by  denuded  birch-trees,  which 
we  were  now  following.  Far  away  in  the  east  glowed 
a  faint  suggestion  of  aurora  borealis,  and  from  this 
unnatural  dream-like  light  the  smallest  objects,  as  well 
as  the  biggest  ones,  borrowed  weird  and  ghostly  shapes. 
A  little  cart,  drawn  by  a  shaggy  pony,  hove  in  sight,  the 
noise  made  by  the  sharp  hoofs  of  the  rapidly  trotting 
animal,  coupled  with  the  jingling  bells  attached  to  his 
collar,  breaking  merrily  upon  the  solemn  silence. 

"  How  far  are  we  from  home  now,  I  wonder?"  inquired 
the  Count.  The  driver  of  the  cart,  who  was  clothed  in 
sheepskins  and  sat  sideways  on  the  dashboard  of  his 
clumsy  vehicle,  knew  his  Excellency  at  once,  and  called 
out: 

"  Less  than  a  verst.  Your  nobility  can  see  the  lights 
of  the  village  now;"  then,  shaking  the  pony's  greasy 
reins  and  pointing  with  his  whip  as  he  spoke,  he  passed 
on  and  was  soon  lost  to  sight. 

"  How  creepy  you  have  made  us  all  feel!"  I  said  to  the 
Count.  "That  was  an  awful  story  of  yours." 

He  laughed  his  cheery,  throaty  laugh,  and,  with  a 
shrug  of  his  broad  shoulders,  exclaimed:  "You  are  a 
very  likely  object  for  creepiness,  are  you  not?  A  little 
woman  who  has  remained  locked  up  in  a  room  at  the 

207 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

dead  of  night  with  a  murderous,  ruffianly  burglar,  with- 
out betraying  a  trace  of  fear,  cannot  easily  make  me  be- 
lieve that  my  little  yarn,  ugly  as  it  may  be,  has  seriously 
unnerved  her.  By-the-bye,  it's  your  turn  now ;  tell  the 
youngsters  that  little  incident ;  it  will  help  us  all  to  forget 
how  tired  and  weary  we  are,  and  make  this  confounded 
last  mile  or  so  endurable. " 

The  request  having  been  taken  up  by  Rudi  and  Prince 
William,  I  was  forced,  nolens  volens,  to  recount  my  ex- 
perience with  the  burglar,  an  adventure  which  had 
taken  place  a  few  weeks  previously  : 

"I  had  come  home  late  on  the  eventful  night  when 
it  happened.  I  could  not  have  been  asleep  for  a  very 
long  time,  when  I  opened  my  eyes  and  gazed  about  me 
with  that  peculiar  feeling  which  is  begotten  by  the  sen- 
sation of  some  strange  presence  near  you.  The  large 
room,  lighted  by  the  warm  glow  of  the  fire  and  by  an 
unusually  large  night-lamp,  was,  however,  perfectly 
still,  even  the  tiny  Bengalis  in  their  silver  cage  were 
huddled  together  like  so  many  little  balls  of  down,  and 
had  not  stirred.  Suddenly  I  saw  a  man  of  gigantic 
proportions  stooping  over  a  scintillating  mass  of  jewels 
scattered  before  him.  No,  I  was  not  dreaming,  neither 
were  my  eyes  deceiving  me,  for  I  could  hear  the  sound 
of  his  quick  breathing,  hissing  through  the  clenched 
teeth,  shut  with  bull-dog  tenacity  upon  the  handle  of  a 
long,  sharp-pointed  Kandjar.  The  man's  back  was 
towards  me,  and  his  face,  reflected  by  the  large  mirror 
in  front  of  him,  was  one  which  one  is  not  likely  to  forget, 
especially  when  seen  under  such  peculiarly  trying  cir- 
cumstances. The  sunken  eyes  had  a  piercing,  restless 
look,  the  complexion  was  dark  to  swarthiness,  the  jetty 
hair  and  beard  framed  the  bullet-head  with  a  tangle  of 
matted  curls,  and  the  square  shoulders  and  massive 
arms  looked  huge  under  his  long-skirted  touloupe.  I 

208 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

lay  perfectly  still,  watching  him  almost  indifferently, 
while  he  coolly  pocketed  one  after  another  the  diamonds 
and  rubies  that  I  had  worn  that  night  at  Princess  C.'s 
hunt-dinner,  and  which  my  sleepy  women  had  omitted 
to  put  away  after  undressing  me.  I  mentally  took 
note  of  his  every  movement,  as  if  I  were  merely  safely 
ensconced  in  a  proscenium  box,  enjoying,  with  a  thrill 
of  interest,  the  villain's  dark  deeds  on  some  theatrical 
stage.  I  even  felt  quite  indignant  at  the  ruffian's  un- 
pardonable lack  of  gentleness  when  he  brutally  snapped 
in  twain  a  superb  and  favorite  tiara  of  mine  which  was 
too  bulky  to  enter  even  his  capacious  pocket. 

"Gradually,  however,  a  sense  of  the  danger  I  was  run- 
ning began  to  dawn  upon  me,  the  spell  was  broken, 
and,  with  a  slight  shiver  of  apprehension,  I  slowly  and 
noiselessly  withdrew  my  right  hand  from  beneath  the 
bed  covering,  and  yet  more  slowly  and  cautiously  reach- 
ed for  the  revolver  which  hung  above  my  head  among 
the  drooping  draperies  of  the  canopy  under  which  I  had 
slept.  My  heart  beat  so  loudly  the  while  that  I  won- 
dered why  my  nocturnal  visitor  did  not  hear  it  and 
pounce  upon  me  with  his  terrible  knife.  At  last  I 
grasped  the  weapon,  the  cold,  metallic  touch  of  which 
magically  restored  to  me  my  customary  presence 
d'esprit.  Carefully  levelling  it  at  the  intruder,  I 
stretched  out  my  arm  to  its  full  length,  and  I  said 
quietly : 

"  '  Don't  you  think  that  your  errand  here  is  likely  to 
lead  you  into  trouble?' 

"If  the  ceiling  had  dropped  upon  his  head,  or  the 
Bengalis  in  the  cage  had  flown  into  his  face  and  attempt- 
ed to  peck  out  his  eyes  with  their  tiny  beaks,  the  fellow 
could  not  have  looked  more  abjectly  terrified  and  amazed. 
With  a  hoarse  execration,  he  not  only  dropped  the  hand- 
ful of  bracelets,  rings,  and  pendants  which  he  held,  but 
o  209 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

also,  relaxing  his  grip  on  his  weapon,  he  allowed  it  to 
fall  with  a  clatter  at  his  feet. 

"  Dreading  that  he  might  gather  himself  together  for 
a  spring  towards  me,  across  the  long  room,  I  hurriedly 
added :  '  I  wouldn't  approach  nearer  if  I  were  you,  for 
my  bullets  can  reach  you  before  you  can  stir,  and  if 
you  move  I  will  be  under  the  painful  necessity  of  killing 
you  like  a  dog. ' 

"Never  before  nor  since  have  I  seen  on  a  human 
countenance  such  a  mixture  of  baffled  rage,  impotent 
fury,  and  sickly  fear.  He  closed  and  unclosed  his  fists 
nervously,  shooting  ferocious  glances  at  me  from  under 
his  shaggy  brows.  But  prudence  was  evidently  to  him 
the  best  part  of  valor,  for  he  stood  as  if  rooted  to  the 
spot,  without  uttering  a  word. 

"'Now/  I  continued,  'what  business  had  you  to  enter 
my  room  at  night  in  order  to  steal  jewels,  celebrated 
throughout  Europe,  and  which  nobody  would  ever  have 
dreamed  of  buying  from  you?  See  how  foolish  you  are, 
and  how  stupidly  you  have  risked  your  precious  life, 
not  to  mention  the  unpleasant  hours  you  are  going  to 
spend  here  until  I  can  see  you  delivered  into  the  hands 
of  the  guard.' 

"At  this  taunt  he  literally  ground  his  teeth.  'Oh, 
yes/  I  continued,  undisturbed,  'you  thought  that 
even  should  I  awake  I  would  be  a  contemptible  adver- 
sary, that  I  would  cry  and  beg  for  mercy,  and  be  only  too 
happy  to  entreat  you  to  accept  those  tempting  trinkets 
yonder,  so  that  you  should  spare  me.  You  know,  doubt- 
lessly, that  my  servants  sleep  beyond  reach  of  my  call, 
and  that  my  husband  and  his  aide-de-camp  are  absent, 
so  that  I  am  completely  unprotected.  Well,  now,  you 
see  what  a  mistake  you  have  made.  As  you  see,  I  am 
quite  able  to  look  after  myself,  and,  what  is  more,  I  am 
not  a  bit  afraid  of  you.' 

210 


THE  TRIBULATIONS    OF  A   PRINCESS 

"  Why  I  thus  rambled  on  I  cannot  tell,  but  I  suppose 
that  I  must  have  felt  a  bit  lonely  in  this  big  room,  with 
that  motionless  figure  towering  in  the  corner,  and  that 
the  sound  of  my  own  voice  made  matters  a  little  less 
dreary.  The  situation  was  by  no  means  so  favorable 
as  I  attempted  to  depict  it,  for  there  was  nothing  to  pre- 
vent my  prisoner  from  springing  upon  me  when  I  be- 
came overpowered  by  fatigue,  and  from  putting  an  end 
to  my  galling  remarks  and  to  my  slender  hold  on  exist- 
ence as  well.  But  he  apparently  did  not  realize  this, 
for  suddenly  throwing  his  hands  before  him — the  move- 
ment intuitively  causing  me  to  tighten  my  pressure  on 
the  trigger  —  half  entreatingly,  half  "menacingly,  he 
jerked  out : 

"'Let  me  go;  I  won't  hurt  you;  but  just  let  me  go — 
let  me  go/ 

"My  outstretched  arm  was  shaking  badly,  although 
I  had  changed  the  hand  in  which  I  held  my  weapon 
several  times  during  the  course  of  this  interesting  con- 
versation, and  I  felt  sorely  tempted  to  grant  the  poor 
devil's  pusillanimous  request.  But  something  within 
me  seemed  to  forbid  that,  and,  settling  myself  more  com- 
fortably on  my  pillows,  so  as  to  rest  my  elbow  on  my 
raised  knee,  I  shook  my  head  in  emphatic  denial,  as  if 
the  proposal  were  too  preposterous  to  be  countenanced 
for  an  instant.  Then,  with  an  unexplainable  feeling  of 
compunction,  I  said,  somewhat  pityingly : 

"'You  must  be  tired  of  standing  there  so  long;  sit 
down  on  that  pile  of  cushions  near  the  fire ;  you'll  be 
more  comfortable.'  Hardly  had  I  spoken  the  words 
when  the  utter  absurdity  of  such  a  possibility  stared  me 
in  the  face,  and  I  could  hardly  repress  a  smile.  Strange- 
ly enough,  my  uncouth  companion  did  not  seem  to  con- 
sider matters  in  the  same  light,  for,  uttering  an  exclama- 
tion which  was  something  between  a  groan  and  a  curse, 

211 


THE   TRIBULATIONS  OF  A   PRINCESS 

he  sank  wearily  on  the  proffered  seat.  I  glanced  at 
the  clock  and  saw  that  it  was  about  to  strike  the  half 
after  four.  I  was  aware  that  at  five  o'clock  the  grooms 
would  get  up  to  attend  to  their  duties  in  the  neighboring 
stables,  and  that  then  I  would  have  a  chance  of  calling 
them  to  my  assistance.  But  the  comparatively  short 
period  of  time  which  separated  me  from  this  blissful 
moment  seemed  like  an  eternity,  and  I  felt  the  blood 
tingling  in  my  veins  with  impatience  and  anger  at  the 
woful  silliness  of  my  situation  and  at  the  idiotic  ar- 
rangement of  a  house  where  the  servants'  quarters  were 
not  in  communication  with  the  main  apartments.  It 
was  difficult  under  the  circumstances  to  continue  the 
conversation  which  I  had  so  aimlessly  begun  with  my 
unbidden  guest,  but  anything  was  better  than  an  ener- 
vating silence,  which  was  fast  becoming  an  almost 
tangible  thing. 

"  Just  as  I  was  on  the  point,  out  of  sheer  desperation,  of 
addressing  myself  once  more  to  him,  the  oft-heard,  rasp- 
ing sound  of  the  stable  portals  met  my  ear,  and  I  raised 
such  a  shout  that  the  slender  baccarat  glass  at  my  bed- 
side vibrated  as  if  I  had  struck  it.  The  man  started  to 
his  feet  and  took  one  step  towards  me,  but,  with  renewed 
force  and  strength  of  purpose,  I  once  more  levelled  my 
revolver  in  the  direction  of  his  head,  and,  in  tones  which 
were  neither  courteous  nor  soft  this  time,  I  exclaimed, 
'Keep  still,  or  you  are  a  dead  man!'  A  moment  later 
the  door  flew  open  under  the  hand  of  my  head  groom, 
who  was  followed  by  two  or  three  of  his  underlings,  and 
I  dropped  my  weapon  from  my  tired  and  nerveless  hand. 

"My  nocturnal  visitor  was  at  once  securely  bound 
and  removed  to  an  outhouse,  where  some  of  my  men 
stood  guard  over  him  until  he  was  handed  to  the  local 
authorities.  Poor  fool,  his  presence  of  mind  had  so 
utterly  forsaken  him  that  during  his  long  stay  in  my 

212 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

apartment  he  had  not  even  thought  of  emptying  his 
pockets,  and  it  was  the  captain  of  gendarmerie  who, 
with  his  own  hands,  recovered  from  his  rags  my  rubies, 
diamonds,  and  pearls. 

"  During  the  period  which  preceded  the  trial,  and  dur- 
ing the  trial  itself,  I  regretted  many  a  time  that  I  had  not 
allowed  him  to  escape,  for  I  am  sorry  to  say  that,  being 
ridiculously  tender-hearted,  I  felt  continual  remorse  at 
the  idea  that  that  poor  wretch  was  suffering  a  long  series 
of  mental  and  bodily  discomforts,  which  I  might  have 
spared  him  by  a  little  more  leniency.  I  may  as  well 
add  that  I  tried  several  times  to  withdraw  my  complaint 
and  to  obtain  his  liberty,  but  the  laws  are  strict,  and  in 
spite  of  all  the  powerful  influence  which  I  set  to  work  in 
the  matter,  I  was,  to  my  great  disgust,  completely  un- 
successful. All  that  I  could  obtain  was  that,  instead  of 
being  condemned  to  twenty-one  years'  penal  servitude, 
he  was  let  off  with  two  years'  hard  labor." 

"You  foolish  woman  1"  cried  the  Count,  as  I  was  con- 
cluding my  recital,  "  why  do  you  not  tell  them  that  you 
visit  him  regularly  in  his  prison,  that  you  tip  his  jailers 
so  that  they  may  treat  him  with  especial  kindness,  and 
that  you  have  sworn  never  once  to  wear  the  jewels  which 
he  tried  to  appropriate  in  so  free-handed  a  way  during 
his  term  of  imprisonment!" 

"That's  Muzzi  all  over," replied  Rudi;  "oh,  you  silly 
girl,  you  silly  girl!  But  here  at  last  we  are  at  home," 
he  added,  as  we  rattled  into  the  yard  of  the  castle. 

I  must  conclude  this  chapter  by  stating  that  four 
years  later  I  happened  to  be  one  of  a  hunting-party  in 
the  mountains  of  Tyrol.  One  morning  we  started  at 
five  o'clock  to  reach  the  summit  of  a  peak  where  the 
chamois  were  plentiful,  and  after  a  few  hours  of  excellent 
sport  we  repaired  to  a  tiny  chalet  perched  on  a  rock,  in 
order  to  ask  for  a  drink  of  milk  and  a  piece  of  bread  and 

213 

* 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

cheese — the  habitual  mountaineer's  fare.  What  was 
my  surprise,  not  to  say  amazement,  when,  casting  my 
eyes  on  the  stalwart  Yager  who  opened  the  door  for  us,  I 
recognized  the  features — so  well  graven  in  my  mind — 
of  my  old  friend  the  burglar!  He  also  knew  me  in  an 
instant,  and  his  tanned  complexion  assumed  the  dusky 
red  of  a  well-baked  brick. 

"Why,  my  friend,"  said  I,  "how  do  you  come  here?" 

For  a  moment  he  twisted  the  rim  of  his  soft  felt  hat 
between  his  hands,  and  then,  with  a  smile  that  suddenly 
transfigured  his  heavy,  lowering  features  into  some- 
thing almost  winsome,  he  said,  resolutely : 

"  I  ought  to  thank  you  for  having  been  the  cause  of 
this  change  in  my  circumstances.  Had  you  let  me 
escape  that  night  as  I  implored  you  to  do,  I  should  have 
certainly  pursued  my  career  of  theft  and  of  crime,  but 
your  courage  and  your  ultimate  kindness  to  me,  little 
as  I  deserved  them,  showed  me  what  confronted  me 
should  I  fall  into  the  hands  of  people  less  good-hearted 
than  yourself,  in  case  of  my  reassuming  my  previous 
mode  of  life.  So  I  turned  my  back  on  my  old  haunts, 
and  by  dint  of  hard  work  and  perseverance  I  succeeded 
in  earning  enough  money  to  travel  to  this  place,  and  to 
establish  myself  as  an  innkeeper  on  these  mountains, 
buying  the  chalet  with  that  money  which  you  gave  me 
when  I  left  jail." 

All's  well  that  ends  well,  and  I  went  away  that  after- 
noon feeling  as  if  somebody  had  lifted  a  heavy  weight 
off  my  mind.  I  hope,  however,  that  this  little  incident 
of  my  past  life  will  not  fall  under  the  eyes  of  any  gentle- 
man belonging  to  the  "profession."  For  it  is  seldom, 
indeed,  that  a  burglar  is  regenerated  by  being  thus 
caught  in  the  act,  and  I  should  very  much  dislike  to 
encourage  any  of  these  gentry  to  try  their  hand  at  a 
similar  experiment. 

214 


CHAPTER  XIII 

"Schweigend  in  des  Abends  Stille 
Blickt  des  Mondes  Silberlicht; 
Wie  es  dort  mit  iipp'ger  Fiille 
Durch  die  dunkeln  Blatter  brichtl 

"  Wolken  zieh'n  auf  luft'gen  Spuren 

Tanzend  um  den  Silberschein, 
Und  es  wiegen  sich  die  Fluren 

Sanft  zum  stissen  Schlummer  ein." 

THE  tiny  wavelets  of  the  Mediterranean,  with  a  laugh- 
ing, rippling  sound,  washed  against  the  marble  sea-wall 
of  the  villa.  The  night  was  perfect ;  flooded  with  moon- 
light and  peace ;  redolent  with  the  fragrance  of  myriads 
of  orange  and  lemon  blossoms,  which  starred  the  luxu- 
riant groves  on  the  hilly  shore  behind  the  vast  gardens. 
Among  the  branches  of  a  magnolia  nearby  a  couple  of 
nightingales  were  warbling  as  if  their  little  throats 
would  burst  in  the  very  ecstasy  of  their  rapture.  Oc- 
casionally the  splash  of  an  oar  or  the  voice  of  a  sailor 
was  wafted  towards  us  on  the  night  breeze. 

So  brilliant  was  the  light  of  the  moon  that  every  de- 
tail of  the  wonderful  land  and  sea  scapes  could  be  distin- 
guished with  absolute  clearness.  The  flowers  which 
filled  the  parterres,  the  tall  palms  raising  their  proud 
plumelike  heads  towards  heaven,  the  snow-white  build- 
ings, backed  by  dense  verdure,  and  the  marble  terraces 
where  Cape  jessamines  and  Virginia  creepers  ran 
riot,  were,  like  the  far  -  stretching  waters,  suffused  by 

215 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

silvery  rays   which   rendered  the  scene  entrancingly 
beautiful. 

"  Bring  consolation  unto  me, 

Ye  stars  that  shine  so  bright; 
So  shall  I  feel  that  mercy  reigns 
Above  this  realm  of  light!" 

I  murmured  sotto  voce. 

"  What  a  perfect  night  1  It  is  like  a  foretaste  of  Para- 
dise, and  would  almost  make  one  satisfied  with  life," 
said  my  husband,  who  fortunately  had  not  heard  my 
romantic  citation,  shielding  his  eyes  with  his  hand  and 
looking  seawards. 

Reclining  on  a  cane  rocking-chair,  I  gazed  abstract- 
edly at  the  beautiful  panorama  which  stretched  before 
me,  one  of  my  hands  nervously  twirling  the  big  pearls 
at  my  throat,  the  other  toying  with  an  Oriental  cigarette 
from  which  I  now  and  again  drew  little  clouds  of  smoke, 
my  feet  resting  on  the  back  of  a  gigantic  Russian  blood- 
hound who  was  lying  asleep  on  the  mosaic  flooring  of 
the  terrace. 

Leaning  my  head  back  on  the  cushions  of  my  chair, 
I  shook  the  ashes  from  my  cigarette  and  turned  my  eyes, 
from  the  surface  of  the  waves  which  I  had  been  con- 
templating, upon  the  stalwart  figure  of  my  lord  and 
master,  who  stood  lazily  leaning  over  the  wide  balus- 
trade. There  was  no  use  denying  it,  Karl  was  a  mag- 
nificent specimen  of  humanity,  over  six  feet  two  in 
height,  broad-shouldered  and  slender-waisted,  his  blue 
eyes,  fair  hair,  blond  mustache,  and  especially  his  em- 
inently aristocratic,  well-modelled  features,  making  him 
an  object  of  undisguised  feminine  admiration  wherever 
he  went.  Moreover,  his  age  sat  very  lightly  upon 
him,  for  he  looked  as  if  he  were  but  barely  twenty- 
eight. 

"I  am  afraid  you  are  sleepy,  Karl/'  I  said  with  a  sud- 

216 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A  PRINCESS 

den  attempt  at  cheerfulness;  "you  are  astonishingly 
silent  to-night." 

"No,  I  am  not  sleepy,  but  I  was  thinking  of  a  man 
whom  I  met  to-day  as  I  was  walking  home  before  dinner, 
a  man  who  craves  the  favor  of  being  introduced  to  you, 
and  whom  you  will  like,  I  believe,  so  I  have  asked  him  to 
come  to  luncheon  to-morrow." 

"A  man  whom  I  will  like!  He  must  be  quite  a  para- 
gon, then,  for  you  know  that,  if  I  dislike  women,  I  do 
not  particularly  like  men  either,  except  when  they  rec- 
ommend themselves  by  really  extraordinary  personal 
value.  May  I  ask  who  this  rara  avis  of  yours  is?" 

"  Certainly ;  he  is  a  young  Englishman  of  good  family 
and  excellent  breeding,  intelligent,  witty,  talented,  a 
member  of  the  '  Jockey/  and  a  very  decent  sportsman  to 
boot— in  short,  Sir  Philip  C.'s  son  Freddie." 

"  Why,  I  knew  him  years  ago.  But  I  thought  he  had 
gone  for  a  tour  round  the  world,  at  least  that  is  what 
I  was  told.  How  does  he  come  to  be  here?" 

"  Well,  you  see,  his  health  gave  way  after  his  last  year 
in  China  and  Japan,  and  his  physicians  suggested  the 
trip  you  mention,  but  his  diplomatic  ambition  would 
not  let  him  make  up  his  mind  to  be  away  so  long,  and 
he  is  trying  what  a  few  weeks  will  do  for  him  here  on  this 
well-named  C6te  d'Azur." 

"Is  he  a  confirmed  invalid,  then?" 

"No,  not  at  all.  He  was  once  threatened  with  con- 
sumption, I  believe,  but  now  his  nervous  system  has 
simply  been  overstrained  by  hard  work  and  tropical 
climates.  There  are  also  some  family  troubles,  of  which 
you  have  no  doubt  heard.  They  have  upset  his  equa- 
nimity. He  is  a  queer  character,  but  somehow  I  like 
him — after  a  fashion." 

"  I  hope  I  will,  too,  for  I  know  you  well  enough  to  real- 
ize that  you  are  about  to  enter  upon  one  of  your  unques- 

217 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

tioning  enthusiasms,  and  that  I  shall  be  satiated  with 
the  presence  of  this  highly  interesting  personage  whom 
I  lost  sight  of  when  he  was  nineteen  and  I  fourteen 
years  of  age." 

"  What  nonsense,  Muzzi !  Of  course,  if  he  is  disagree- 
able to  you,  you  need  not  ask  him  here  again,  but  you 
may  as  well  see  him  once  to  please  me  without  picking 
him  to  pieces  beforehand." 

"  I  certainly  will  do  that  with  pleasure.  But,  my  dear 
Karl,  if  you  have  quite  finished  your  rhapsodies  about 
Fred,  let  us  go  indoors.  It  is  getting  positively  chilly, 
and  I  am  sure  that  it  must  be  dreadfully  late." 

Karl  picked  up  my  fan  and  cigarette-box,  my  smell- 
ing-salts and  a  cluster  of  wood  violets  which  I  had 
allowed  to  drop  in  a  confused  tangle  from  my  lap  as  I 
rose,  and  followed  me  into  the  dimly  lighted,  spacious 
hall  where  a  fire  of  cedar  logs  was  burning  brightly  on 
the  big  hearth  of  carved  porphyry.  It  was  early  in 
March,  and  the  nights  were  still  very  cold.  Tea  and 
fruit  and  cold  bouillon  were  brought  to  us,  and  we  sat 
chatting  almost  amicably  until  the  great  clock  chimed 
out  the  hour  of  twelve,  and  then  we  went  up-stairs. 

"I  really  wonder  what  kind  of  a  person  Fred  has  be- 
come," I  mused,  while  trotting  about  in  my  dressing- 
room  next  morning.  "I  hope  he  will  not  be  a  bore;  it 
would  be  too  bad  should  Karl  insist  on  my  receiving 
him  often  if  he  does  not  amuse  me.  Men  should  be 
amusing  or  else  very  superior." 

I  always  frankly  admit  to  myself,  and  to  others  as 
well,  that  I  do  not  like  women,  for  I  have  no  patience 
with  their  small  vanities,  their  lack  of  physical  courage, 
their  continual  efforts  to  please,  their  petty  affectations, 
and  their  delinquencies  where  loyalty  and  truthfulness 
are  concerned.  The  strong-minded  woman,  when  I 
happen  to  come  across  her,  only  arouses  my  most  wither- 

218 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

ing  scorn,  and  I  sincerely  think  that  viragoes  ought 
to  be  put  to  death  as  a  disgrace  to  their  sex.  Men  I  do 
not  like  very  much  either,  excepting,  as  I  had  told  my 
husband,  when  they  distinguish  themselves  by  ex- 
traordinary talents  or  qualities.  I  despise  flirtations 
— a  practice  which  I  condemn  as  degrading — and  to 
this  day  I  cannot  cure  myself  of  indulging  in  rather 
merciless  sarcasms,  which  overtake  every  one  guilty 
of  pose,  a  defect  which  I  particularly  abhor. 

Just  as  my  chief-woman  Johanna  was  putting  the 
finishing  touches  to  my  toilet,  Karl  knocked  at  the  door 
of  my  dressing-room.  He  always  observed  with  me, 
I  am  bound  to  confess,  the  forms  of  the  most  minute 
courtesy,  treating  me  with  that  chivalrous  deference 
which  a  subject  shows  to  his  sovereign.  He  held  in  his 
hand  a  large  bunch  of  violets,  and  as  he  came  towards 
me  he  placed  them  on  a  table  and  then  kissed  my 
hand  in  token  of  greeting. 

"  Your  ponies  have  been  waiting  quite  half  an  hour, 
my  dear,"  he  said,  with  a  smile,  "and  your  groom  begs 
to  know  whether  you  intend  to  drive  out  before  lunch- 
eon." 

"Of  course  I  will;  the  ponies  have  not  been  out  for 
three  days,  and  they  will  be  sufficiently  on  their  mettle 
to  satisfy  even  me." 

Riding  was  still  the  exercise  which  pleased  me  best, 
but  I  prided  myself  a  little  on  my  four-in-hand  driving. 
The  western  wind  blew  straight  into  my  face  as  I  drove 
off  over  the  sandy,  tree-shadowed  road  along  the  shore. 
The  ponies  pulled  a  good  deal,  but  I  enjoyed  this,  my 
mastery  being  absolute  over  the  four  thoroughbred 
creatures,  whose  glossy  necks  shone  in  the  morning  sun 
like  molten  gold. 

When  I  returned  I  found  that  the  expected  guest  had 
not  arrived  yet,  so  that  I  had  ample  time  to  exchange 

219 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF   A   PRINCESS 

my  driving-suit  for  a  gown  of  azure  cloth,  edged  with 
blue  marabout  tips,  and  I  was  in  the  best  of  humors 
when  I  descended  the  broad,  flower-laden  staircase. 

Guided  by  the  sound  of  my  husband's  voice,  I  entered 
the  smallest  of  the  three  drawing-rooms  on  the  ground 
floor,  and  advanced  with  outstretched  hand  towards  the 
young  man,  who  precipitately  rose  from  his  seat  as  I 
appeared,  and  whom  Karl  now  reintroduced  to  me. 

One  glance  sufficed  to  show  me  that  Fred  had  improved 
greatly,  and  would  perchance  find  grace  before  me  after 
all.  Very  tall,  slender,  and  somewhat  delicate-looking, 
he  was  eminently  distingn£  and  aristocratic  in  his  bear- 
ing. Perchance  there  was  a  little  shyness  of  manner, 
but  this  was  far  from  displeasing  to  me,  for  self-asser- 
tion is  to  my  mind  a  downright  abomination.  The 
pleasing  features,  olive  complexion,  and  dark  hair  of 
the  young  man  would  have  misled  anybody  with  re- 
gard to  his  nationality,  and  it  was  difficult  to  imagine 
that  he  belonged  to  the  proverbially  fair-haired  and 
blue-eyed  Anglo-Saxon  race.  His  eyes  were  his  best 
point;  they  were  very  changeable  in  expression,  the 
eyelashes  were  long  and  thick,  and  this  gave  the  regard 
a  languor  and  a  charm  very  seldom  seen  in  a  man. 

"A  good,  loyal,  frank,  soft-hearted  boy,"  was  the  in- 
voluntary comment  which  I  made  inwardly,  as  I  wel- 
comed my  visitor  with  more  warmth  than  was  my  wont, 
for  a  feeling  of  sympathy,  slightly  tinged  with  pity, 
stole  upon  me  as  I  noticed  the  thin  cheeks  and  the  wav- 
ering color  which  overspread  his  face  as  I  spoke  to  him. 

"This  room  is  insufferably  warm,"  I  exclaimed,  walk- 
ing out,  through  one  of  the  double  glass  doors,  on  to  the 
marble  terrace  where  I  had  sat  with  my  husband  on  the 
preceding  evening.  Several  cushioned  lounging-chairs 
surrounded  a  little  Cairene  bench,  where  cigars,  ciga- 
rettes, and  a  tiny  cellaret  were  placed,  among  bowers  of 

220 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

tall  azaleas  and  mimosas  in  full  bloom,  growing  in 
tubs  of  bronze. 

The  air  was  warm  outside,  also,  but  the  striped  awn- 
ings which  shaded  the  terrace  preserved  us  from  being 
annoyed  by  the  refraction  of  the  noonday  sun,  and 
the  view  was  nearly  as  lovely  as  it  had  been  at  night 
when  seen  by  the  light  of  the  moon. 

"  The  Riviera  would  have  a  far  greater  charm  for  me," 
I  said  to  my  guest,  "  if  it  did  not  look  more  and  more,  as 
time  goes  on,  like  a  picture  on  the  top  of  some  satin  bon- 
bon box.  They  have  spoiled  the  landscape  by  dotting  it 
with  too  many  villas,  just  as  they  have  destroyed  nature 
all  around  by  creating  public  parks,  and  gardens  which 
are  planned  in  imitation  of  Egyptian,  Indian,  and  South 
American  scenery.  I  am  never  perfectly  satisfied  here ; 
there  is  too  much  sweetness,  too  many  perfumes,  too 
much  glare  and  too  little  simplicity.  Now  in  Brittany 
I  am  absolutely  content  and  wholly  pleased;  our  place 
down  there  is  my  ideal  of  what  a  country  residence  should 
be.  It  is  very  ancient,  and  it  has  descended  to  us  from 
an  ancestor  who  lived  many  centuries  ago.  Of  course 
it  contains  all  modern  improvements,  as  the  prospec- 
tuses from  real-estate  agents  term  it,  but  still  it  has 
preserved  its  cachet  of  antiquity,  the  boisterous,  gray- 
green  waves  of  the  Atlantic  dash  freely  against  its  outer 
bastions,  and  its  solitude  is  priceless." 

"But,  surely,  you  have  not  become  a  misanthrope?" 
exclaimed  Fred,  with  ill-concealed  astonishment. 

"  No,  I  trust  that  I  am  not  anything  bearing  so  ugly 
a  name,  but  yet  I  assure  you  that  my  happiest  moments 
have  been  spent  in  Brittany — or  else  in  Russia  or  the 
Tyrol.  I  hope  that  you  will  some  day  see  our  dear  old 
Breton  vulture's  nest,  so  that  you  may  judge  for  your- 
self whether  my  enthusiasm  in  that  respect  is  not  fully 
justified." 

221 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

"Invites  you  to  come  to  Brittany?"  laughed  Karl, 
stretching  himself  in  his  chair  and  lighting  a  cigarette. 
"Well,  that  is  an  unusual  honor.  I  am  glad  to  see 
that  you  are  rapidly  reassuming  your  old  place  in 
her  regard,  Freddie." 

At  that  moment  Karl's  valet  brought  him  a  card.  He 
glanced  hastily  at  it,  and  then,  turning  to  me,  he  said : 
"  Excuse  me  if  I  leave  you  to  entertain  our  friend  for  a 
few  moments  without  my  assistance.  Henger  has  come 
over  to  bring  me  his  yearly  accounts  of  the  estates,  and 
I  am  going  to  tell  him  to  postpone  business  until  after 
luncheon."  Whereupon  he  re-entered  the  house,  call- 
ing to  Fred  as  he  went :  "  I  will  not  stay  away  longer 
than  I  can  help,  but  I  do  not  pity  you  much  for  remain- 
ing en  tete-^-tete  with  Muzzi." 

"What  a  delightful  surname,  and  how  well  it  suits 
you,"  exclaimed  Fred;  "it  is  quaint,  unique,  original, 
and  charming,  like  yourself." 

"  What  you  say  is  very  pretty,  but  I  do  not  like  com- 
pliments, especially  when  they  are  made  by  intelligent 
people.  They  can  be  forgiven  to  the  usual  run  of  men, 
as  being  the  small  change  with  which  they  repay  our 
hospitality  or  our  politeness.  Do  not  think  me  rude  if  I 
say  this,  but,  as  I  hope  to  see  you  often  under  my  roof, 
wherever  that  roof  may  be,  it  is  well  that  you  should 
be  at  once  made  acquainted  with  my  fancies  and  whims. " 

"How  different  you  are  from  the  child  I  remember 
playing  croquet  with  under  the  beautiful  shade  of  your 
aunt's  celebrated  trees/'  he  said,  wistfully,  bending 
forward  to  look  at  me  intently. 

"  There  is  nothing  strange  in  that,"  I  replied,  laugh- 
ing. "  I  am  quite  a  matron  now ;  besides,  as  you  know, 
I  have  not  been  brought  up  like  other  girls.  My  great- 
est pleasures  are  to  live  in  the  open  air,  to  ride,  to  drive, 
to  shoot,  swim,  row,  read,  paint,  or  at  times  to  throw 

222 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

myself  headlong  into  music,  violently  and  whole-soul- 
edly,  as  I  do  everything  else,  alas!" 

"  You  do  not  mean  to  tell  me  that  you  do  not  like  the 
world  and  all  its  glamour?"  he  interrupted,  with  a  du- 
bious smile.  "You,  who  are  created  to  shine  there, 
and  whose  position  makes  you  one  of  the  queens  of  the 
grand  monde." 

"There  you  are  again!  Oh!  you  are  incorrigible; 
you  will  insist  upon  throwing  paving-stones  at  my 
head.  I  like  the  world  after  a  fashion — yes ;  I  adore  a 
good  waltz,  a  play  acted  by  first-class  'stars';  I  enjoy 
the  gorgeous  pageant  of  court-life,  in  a  measure,  but 
I  am  not  a  mondaine ;  no,  ten  thousand  times  no — not 
in  the  general  sense  attached  to  the  word.  The  world 
expects  one  to  wear  continually  a  camisole  de  force.  If 
one  of  its  idols  presumes  to  act  independently,  without 
anxiety  about  what  it  will  think,  that  one  is  quaran- 
tined, or  used  as  a  target  to  be  shot  at  by  the  classes 
and  the  masses,  especially  by  one's  best  friends — for 
these  aim  well,  and  hit  the  bull's-eye  every  time." 

"Good  Lord,  you  do  not  look  at  life  with  rosy-hued 
spectacles." 

"  No ;  I  look  at  it  as  it  is,  which  is  not  saying  much  in 
its  favor.  But  still  I  must  confess  that  some  clever 
people  know  how  to  manage.  Le  monde  I  —  le  grand 
monde  bien  entendu,  I  mean.  Worldliness  is  like  all 
other  fine  arts ;  it  should  be  treated  scientifically,  and 
the  secret  of  such  a  science  is  to  savoir  se  reprendre, 
even  if  one  occasionally  gives  one's  self  up  to  it  for  a 
while." 

"You  are  spiritually  and  intellectually  an  epicure, 
I  see,  but  it  is  difficult,  when  hearing  you  talk  thus,  to 
realize  how  very  young  you  are." 

"Oh!  my  education  has — been  liberally  completed. 
I  have  ceased  to  gather  daisies,  voila  tout  I  My  illusions 

223 


THE  TRIBULATIONS    OF  A   PRINCESS 

have  fled,  cher  ami,  which  is  perhaps  to  my  advantage, 
for  reason  never  underlies  any  illusion,  be  it  of  what- 
soever a  kind." 

He  laughed  a  little  sadly.  "  You  are  right,  probably ; 
but  it  is,  nevertheless,  a  rooted  custom  with  humanity 
never  to  quite  exclude  a  hope  of  better  things  to  come." 

"Or  a  dread  of  worse  ones,"  I  retorted,  impatiently, 
rising  abruptly,  for  Karl  was  beckoning  to  us  from  one 
of  the  numerous  glass  doors  leading  from  the  house  to 
the  terrace,  and  the  dull  boom  of  the  Chinese  gong  an- 
nouncing lunch  was  calling  us  to  that  least  interesting 
of  meals. 

I  noticed  very  easily  during  the  course  of  that  after- 
noon that  Fred  was  at  once  amused  and  pained  by  my 
frequent  little  acid  satires  and  ironies,  and  the  puzzled 
look  in  his  soft,  affectionate  eyes  seemed  to  contain  at 
times  a  certain  reproach  and  regret.  I  felt  tempted  to 
repeat  to  him  some  favorite  lines  of  mine : 

"J'ai  vu  le  temps  ou  ma  jeunesse 
Sur  mes  levies  etait  sans  cesse 
Mais  j'ai  souffert  un  dtir  martyre, 
Et  le  moins  que  j'en  pourrais  dire, 
Si  je  1'essayais  sur  ma  lyre 
La  briserait  comme  un  roseau." 

His  visits  were  frequent  to  us  after  that  day,  and 
when  we  left  the  South  for  the  North  he  promised  Karl 
and  myself  to  join  us  during  the  following  hunting 
season.  Many  months  were,  however,  to  elapse,  and 
many  great  events  to  take  place  before  we  saw  each 
other  again. 

That  Karl  was  speedily  wearying  of  my  coldness,  and 
I  fear  of  my  ill-disguised  repulsion,  was  not  a  cause  of 
sorrow  to  me,  but  of  sincere  relief.  His  conduct  was 
such  as  to  wound  and  insult  any  wife,  but  I  felt  neither 

224 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

wounded  nor  insulted  thereby.  By  his  more  and  more 
glaring  infidelities  he  plainly  showed  that  it  was  his  nat- 
ure to  be  unfaithful,  and  I  only  longed  for  an  opportuni- 
ty to  loosen  completely  the  sagging  chains  which  still 
bound  him  to  me.  This  opportunity  came  sooner  than  I 
expected,  and  came  indeed  in  a  rather  nasty  fashion,  too, 
but  I  am  thankful  to  say  that  by  some  extraordinary  mir- 
acle my  pride  was  saved,  and  I  was  able  to  avoid  giving 
my  friends  and  acquaintances,  as  well  as  my  enemies, 
the  chance  of  having  a  hearty  laugh  at  my  expense,  or 
even  of  knowing  what  supreme  disgrace  had  befallen  me. 
Their  contemptuous  derision  would  have  been  hard  to  bear. 

I  one  day  promised,  shortly  after  our  return  from  the 
Riviera,  to  go  and  dine  with  Princess  T.,  who  was  resid- 
ing for  a  few  weeks  at  a  charming  chateau  which  she 
owned,  some  five  miles  outside  the  city  limits,  and,  as 
was  my  custom  on  such  occasions,  I  sent  my  dinner 
dress  there  in  the  morning,  proposing  to  ride  over  the 
short  distance  accompanied  by  a  groom  later  on. 

Having  advised  Karl  of  my  intentions,  I  was  just 
leaving  my  house  when  a  telegram  was  handed  to  me. 
The  Princess  had  been  taken  suddenly  ill,  and  the  din- 
ner was  postponed,  but  as  the  weather  was  very  tempt- 
ing, I  decided  not  to  forego  a  gallop  in  the  open  coun- 
try, and,  thrusting  the  despatch  in  my  pocket,  I  rode 
off  at  a  swinging  trot,  on  the  tan-bark  allee  reserved  for 
equestrians,  in  the  direction  of  the  river. 

So  magnificent  was  the  day  that  I  prolonged  my  tour 
far  beyond  my  first  intention.  In  fact,  it  was  almost 
night  when  I  dismounted  at  my  own  door-steps,  and, 
followed  by  the  groom  who  carried  my  covert-coat,  I 
walked  slowly  up-stairs.  It  was  the  servant's  supper 
hour,  so  that  the  halls  were  deserted,  especially  as  I  had 
given  no  counter  orders  about  the  evening,  and  was 
not  expected  home.  Softly  and  noiselessly  we  trod  the 
P  225 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

carpets,  as  thick  as  moss.  The  lamps  in  the  gallery 
leading  to  my  rooms  were  burning  low,  and  we  passed 
on  silently  to  where  the  door  of  Karl's  bedchamber, 
standing  half  open,  cast  a  stronger  ray  of  light  at  my 
feet.  Surprised  at  this  illumination  of  a  presumably 
untenanted  room — for  he  had  told  me  that  he  would 
dine  at  his  club — I  paused  on  the  threshold,  and  then 
recoiled  with  the  surprise  of  what  I  saw  almost  into 
the  arms  of  the  petrified  groom  who  had  also  seen  what 
I  had  seen  myself  over  my  shoulder. 

Unheard  and  unnoticed  we  hurried  on.  I  was  trem- 
bling with  rage  from  head  to  foot,  but  this  was  no  time 
for  the  indulgence  of  any  personal  feelings.  L'honneur 
du  nom,  that  had  to  be  saved,  and  swiftly  I  entered  my 
private  library,  drawing  the  English  lad  in  after  me 
and  shutting  the  door  carefully. 

"Bob,"  I  said,  as  calmly  as  I  could,  "I  am  not  going 
to  offer  you  hush-money  about  this — this  incident — I 
think  I  can  rely  upon  your  discretion  without  resorting 
te  such  means.  Promise  me  that  not  a  word  will  pass 
your  lips,  and  that  I  can  appeal  to  your  honor  in  this 
matter  as  to  that  of  a  gentleman." 

I  had  struck  the  right  chord.  The  youth  straight- 
ened himself  up  to  his  full  height — which  was  some- 
thing below  five  feet — looked  me  full  in  the  face  with 
his  bonny  blue  British  eyes,  and,  in  a  voice  which 
shook  very  much,  declared  that  he  would  "rather  be 
struck  dead  "  than  betray  my  confidence. 

"That  is  right,  Bob;  I  believe  you;  "and  then  I  held 
out  my  hand  to  him  and  shook  his  with  a  sense  of 
genuine  gladness  at  his  honesty  and  quasi- childlike 
but,  withal,  manly  earnestness.  That  boy  was,  I  knew, 
as  white  as  white  could  be.  God  bless  him  for  it ! 

Once  alone,  I  hastily  determined  to  have  a  final, 
conclusive,  and  immediate  explanation  with  Karl.  I 

226 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A  PRINCESS 

rang  the  bell  and  told  my  maid,  who  was  amazed  to  find 
me  there,  to  request  my  husband's  confidential  valet — a 
great  rogue  and  a  traitor  if  ever  there  was  one — to  advise 
his  master  that  I  should  like  to  speak  to  him  at  once. 

A  few  moments  later  Karl  entered.  His  face  was 
singularly  pale,  and  his  eyes  avoided  mine. 

"How  do  you  come  to  be  here?"  he  asked,  a  little 
breathlessly.  "  I  thought  that  you  were  dining  out?" 

"I  know  you  did,"  I  replied,  meaningly,  although  I 
spoke  firmly,  in  a  low  voice,  and  without  a  trace  of  vio- 
lence. 

"Why  do  you  say  that  in  such  a  tone?"  he  said,  ar- 
rogantly, vainly  attempting  to  regain  his  usual  self- 
confidence. 

"  I  think  that  you  know  why,"  I  said,  in  the  same  cold, 
ironical  manner.  "I  have  now  all  my  rights  to  leave 
you  if  I  choose — infidelite  sous  le  toil  conjugal  et  tutti 
quanti — and  what  an  infidelity ! — with  a  serving-maid, 
'  monseigneur,' "  I  added,  looking  at  him  as  if  he  had  been 
a  leper,  for  my  patience  was  beginning  to  give  way; 
"  but  I  loathe  scandal,  and  my  wrongs  will  not  be  spread 
by  me  before  the  world.  I  will  not  fall  into  such  help- 
less folly ;  I  care  for  my  honor,  and  for  yours,  too,  in  an 
odd  way.  No,  do  not  interrupt  me ;  it  is  useless ;  I  must 
speak  at  last,  and  let  you  know  \vhat  our  future  will 
henceforth  be.  Good  Heavens,  how  little  you  know  me ! 
Do  you  think  that  I  was  not  aware  of  the  ignominy  of 
your  conduct?  What  fools  men  are,  and  what  dolts! 
But  now  you  have  overstepped  all  bounds,  you  have 
passed  the  barriers  which  no  gentleman  should  ever 
pass,  you  have  behaved  like  a  brute,  and  I  am  not 
inclined  to  condone  such  an  offence,  such  an  insult! 
Hear  me  out,  if  you  please.  From  this  moment  you 
and  I  are  strangers;  we  will  continue  to  live  together 
in  order  to  blind  the  world  to  the  true  state  of  our  affairs. 

227 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

But  never  dare  to  approach  me  again  when  I  am  alone, 
or,  God  forgive  me,  I  will  kill  you." 

An  exceeding  faintness  came  over  me,  and  I  staggered 
slightly.  He  seized  his  opportunity,  and,  in  the  utter 
weakness  of  the  domination  which  I  had  momentarily 
obtained  over  him,  he  began  to  plead  his  own  cause, 
humbly  enough — nay,  cravenly  and,  in  my  opinion, 
revoltingly.  But  my  blood  was  on  fire.  I  came  from 
a  race  who  had  never  lightly  brooked  insult  or  pitied 
cowardice,  and  his  lame  and  paltry  excuses  acted  as  a 
revivifying  tonic  upon  me.  By  a  great  effort  I  re- 
strained the  bitter  rage  and  the  boundless  scorn  I  felt 
for  him,  and  I  let  the  torrent  of  his  words  pass  un- 
heeded. 

At  last,  when  he  came  to  a  close,  I  merely  said :  "  Now 
that  I  have  heard  you,  I  can  tell  you  that  my  resolve  is 
by  no  means  changed.  Be  good  enough  to  go;  leave 
me  to  myself;  it  will  be  best  so." 

"Good  Heavens,  madame,"  he  almost  shouted,  "do 
you  think  that  I  am  going  to  submit  to  your  rule?  Do 
you,  for  one  instant,  imagine  that  I  will  give  you  up, 
that  I  will  cease  to  be  your  husband  in  everything  but 
in  name.  Do  you  really  believe  that  I  will  run  the  risk 
of  seeing  my  union  with  you  remain  barren  on  account 
of  your  whims?" 

,  This  was  too  much.  I  burst  into  uncontrollable  laugh- 
ter, a  veritable  fou-rire,  which  shook  me  as  a  hurricane 
might  a  plant. 

"Your  insolence  is  wellnigh  inconceivable,"  I  ex- 
claimed, as  soon  as  I  could  speak.  "Oh!  you  madman, 
are  you  trying  to  persuade  me  that  you  love  me,  or  that 
family  ties  and  joys  are  of  value  to  you?  No!  No! 
I  see  more  clearly  than  you  think.  You  merely  fear 
ridicule,  because  you  presume  that  the  odium  of  your 
ways  will  become  public  property.  You  need  not  fear. 

228 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

I  know  how  to  keep  silent,  and  silence  in  this  instance 
means  as  much  to  me,  and  more,  than  it  does  to  you." 

He  stared  at  me  with  gloomy  amaze,  but  I  pursued, 
unheeding :  "  It  is  difficult  for  you  to  believe  in  silence 
and  in  discretion,  because  you  possess  none  of  these 
small  virtues — you  whom  society  has  nicknamed  '  Will- 
iam Tell'." 

"  That  is  false.  None  but  a  cur  ever  speaks — of  cer- 
tain things." 

"Possibly;  draw  your  own  conclusions  about  so- 
ciety's verdict,  then.  And  as  to  the  barrenness  of  our 
union,  it  may  serve  to  make  you  pass  for  a  very  learn- 
ed and  intellectual  man,  for  if  it  be  ever  mentioned  to 
you,  you  can  quote  Shakespeare,  and  say  of  us — 

"  Leaving  no  posterity — 
'Twas  not  their  infirmity, 
It  was  married  chastity." 

"  Excuse  my  levity ;  it  is  out  of  place,  possibly ;  but,  to 
tell  you  the  truth,  if  I  am  erring  now  in  taste  and  wis- 
dom, it  is  thanks  to  the  relief  which  the  prospect  of  being 
rid  of  my  wifely  obligations  towards  you  gives  me.  1 
have  long  ached  to  free  myself  from  the  incubus  of  your 
so-called  love  I  have  wondered,  wondered,  wondered, 
why  men  like  you  should  exist  at  all,  and  why  fate  should 
have  been  so  cruel  to  me.  My  heart  has  grown  sick 
with  apprehension  and  aversion  whenever  I  heard  the 
sound  of  your  step  outside  my  door.  Are  you  satisfied 
now  that  I  have  told  you  this  ?  I  have  tried  to  bear  calm- 
ly the  horrible  disgrace  which  such  a  love  was  to  me. 
You  thought  that  I  did  not  feel ;  you  were  mistaken.  I 
have  suffered — oh!  God  of  Heaven,  how  I  have  suffered! 
You  found  me  cold,  perchance  stupid,  and  I  was  glad 
when  you  did  so,  because  I  did  not  care  to  let  you  see  the 
disdain,  the  disgust  I  have  for  you.  My  silence  arose 

229 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

from  a  mistaken  sense  of  duty  and  from  pride  as  well. 
If  I  had  dragged  what  you  are  pleased  to  facetiously 
call  your  honor  through  the  filthiest  mire  of  Europe, 
it  would  have  been  no  more  than  you  deserved,  but  I 
have  other  ideas  on  such  matters,  and  I  hold  my  dignity 
high  aloft,  whatever  you  may  please  to  do  with  your 
own.  For  the  last  time  I  repeat  it  now,  go !  I  cannot 
bear  the  sight  of  you.  Later  we  will  meet  in  public  as 
if  nothing  had  happened,  but  for  the  present  spare  me 
the  insult  of  your  presence." 

With  sullen,  scowling,  irresistible  subjection,  he  went, 
and  I,  shuddering  and  unnerved,  remained  face  to  face 
with  the  beginning  of  a  new  life — a  life  which  I  could 
make  pure  at  last  and  cleanse  from  all  the  miseries  of 
my  union  with  such  a  man. 

The  modus  vivendi  which  I  forced  Karl  to  accept — 
not  without  several  instances  of  violent  protest  on  his 
part,  for  his  vanity  was  intensely  hurt  and  he  cruelly 
resented  having  been  cornered — finally  became  an  es- 
tablished institution;  our  intercourse  was  reduced  to  a 
mere  courteous  armed  truce,  and  I  avoided  with  scrupu- 
lous care  ever  seeing  him  alone.  We  filled  our  houses 
with  guests,  went  out  together  often,  and  continued  to 
be  cited  as  a  model  couple,  which  was  a  mercy  indeed, 
and  of  an  intense  but  amusing  irony.  But  apart  from 
that,  we  could  not  have  been  more  disconnected  if  we 
had  been  barely  bowing  acquaintances  crossing  the 
ocean  on  the  same  steamer.  In  fact,  although  no  one 
ever,  save  one  or  two  people,  entertained  any  doubt 
about  our  perfect  accord,  the  truth  is  that  we  managed 
to  keep  two  distinctly  separate  establishments  under 
the  same  roof-tree,  which  was  what  I  had  desired  and 
achieved. 

Soon,  however,  war  and  noises  of  war  filled  the  land, 
and  our  own  personal  troubles  were  absorbed  and 

230 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A  PRINCESS 

merged  into  those  of  thousands  of  human  beings 
struggling  on  bloody  battle-fields. 

Two  great  powers  came  to  blows,  and  some  smaller 
ones  became  hot-headed  and  rebellious.  Fanaticism, 
misgovernment,  misappropriation,  were  stated  as  valid 
excuses  for  all  the  horrors  that  came  to  pass,  and  then 
another  great  country — my  adopted  one — interfered, 
and  marched  many  troops  beyond  the  boundary-line  of 
the  empire.  During  the  months  that  followed  there 
was  some  terrible  assumption  of  international  respon- 
sibility, brave  men  fought  and  brave  men  died,  reckless 
commanders  played  an  uphill  game,  and  won  it,  too ! 
Ill-disciplined,  half-savage,  but  well-armed  hordes  did 
much  havoc,  and  bands  of  hill-robbers  pot-shotted  our 
soldiers  most  grewsomely. 

The  rapid  march  of  events  fired  me  with  enthusiasm 
for  the  courage  displayed  everywhere,  and  filled  me  with 
pity  for  all  the  misery  so  nobly  endured ;  and  when  Karl 
was  ordered  to  join  the  conflicting  armies  and  to  take 
up  a  command  there,  I  decided  to  go  too,  in  spite  of 
great  opposition.  I  not  only  succeeded  in  gaining  my 
piont,  but  two  of  my  friends,  Princess  T.  and  Princess 
W.,  filled  with  a  spirit  of  emulation,  joined  me  in  this 
rash  venture,  and  we  set  off  to  do  some  army  nursing 
and  some  sort  of  soldiering  as  well,  adorned  with  the 
insignia  of  the  Red  Cross  on  our  campaigning,  semi- 
military,  and  very  serviceable  garments. 

The  restless  feverishness  of  warfare  was  upon  me; 
I  was  full  of  dash  and  energy,  and  I  had  sometimes  to 
pinch  myself  in  order  to  realize  that  I  was  not  dreaming, 
that  I  was  not  in  reality  a  soldier,  but  merely  a  tiny  bit 
of  a  woman,  so  bent  on  combat  did  I  feel. 

It  seems  anomalous  to  say  it,  but  those  long  weeks 
spent  among  wounded,  sick,  disabled,  and  festering 

humanity  count  among  the  happiest  of  my  whole  exist- 

231 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

ence.  Heedless  of  the  roar  of  artillery,  the  call  of  the 
bugles,  the  groans  of  the  dying,  I  pursued  my  self- 
imposed  task  with  strange  cheerfulness,  braced  by 
the  delicious  feeling  that  for  once  I  was  being  of  some 
use. 

I  quickly  grew  accustomed  to  the  stench  and  turmoil 
of  the  champ  de  bataille.  The  humming  of  bullets — 
•  which  I  at  first  mistook  for  the  buzzing  of  bees — was 
'not  unpleasing  to  my  ears,  and  it  would  seem  as  if  the 
old  proverb,  which  says,  "Bon  sang  ne  pent  mentir," 
had  some  truth  in  it,  for  my  pulses  beat  all  the  quicker 
when  the  conflict  was  at  its  worst.  I  was  never  tired, 
and  no  hardships  seemed  to  touch  me,  for  I  rode  inde- 
fatigably  over  field  and  furrow,  hill  and  dale,  moun- 
tain and  plain,  collecting  prostrate  bodies  and  limbs, 
and  caring  for  the  wounded,  who  were,  alas,  frequently 
left  to  rot  in  their  own  blood,  so  great  was  the  slaughter. 
I  must,  in  justice  to  myself,  state  that  there  was  no 
bravado  in  any  of  my  actions,  and  confess,  at  the  risk 
of  passing  for  a  heartless  wretch,  that  I  liked  it  all. 
So  here  goes  another  proverb — "Bon  chien  chasse  de 
race."  It  may  explain  much — for  instance,  the  fact 
that  a  soldiering  spirit  makes  it  possible  to  live  happily 
in  the  close  proximity  of  death.  I  saw  sights  that  were 
simply  hellish,  overshadowed  by  the  smoke  of  rifles 
and  of  cannons;  my  ears  were  deafened  by  the  awful 
and  perpetual  growl  of  heavy  firing,  and  yet  I  liked  it. 
A  great  throb  of  my  heart  occasionally  choked  me,  but 
again  I  would  shout  incoherently  like  a  youthful  demon 
for  which  haut-fait  I  experienced  momentary  pangs  of 
shame,  and  my  soul  would  melt  within  me  with  sorrow- 
ful regret  for  so  many  victims  of  their  own  heroism, 
lying  prostrate  under  the  glowing  sky,  which  looked 
as  if  it  had  caught  the  reflection  of  the  gore-soaked 
earth. 

232 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF   A   PRINCESS 

After  so  many  years  I  wake  now  sometimes  in  the 
darkness  of  the  night  and  long  for  the  excitement  and 
the  fiery  enthusiasm  of  those  days : 

"  I  dream  of  dead  and  gory  days ; 
Could  I  but  hear,  could  I  but  hear, 
The  trumpets  blare,  to  carnage  calling, 

Then  to  the  saddle  would  I  spring, 
My  mettled  steed  with  joy  bestriding, 

I'd  haste  to  join  the  noble  ring 
Of  soldiers  who  to  fight  are  riding." 


CHAPTER  XV 

"  Vater,  ich  rufe  Dich, 

Brullend  umwolkt  mich  der  Dampf  der  Geschiitze, 
Spriihend  umzucken  mich  rasselnde  Blitze; 
Lenker  der  Schlachten,  ich  rufe  Dich! 
Vater,  du  f iihre  mich  1 

"  Gott,  Dir  ergeb'  ich  mich, 
Wenn  mich  die  Donner  des  Todes  begriissen, 
Wenn  meine  Adern  geoffnet  fliessen ; 

Dir,  mein  Gott,  Dir  ergeb'  ich  mich! 
Vater,  ich  rufe  Dich!" 

"ONE,  two,  three,  four/'  counted  the  major  as  the 
wounded  were  brought  in  and  tenderly  deposited  upon 
the  bundles  of  straw  which  were  to  serve  as  couches  un- 
til the  moment  came  for  the  poor  wretches  to  be  operated 
upon.  The  wind  blew  fiercely,  and  shook  the  canvas 
sides  of  the  large  tent,  under  the  folds  of  which  rows 
upon  rows  of  uncomfortable  little  truckle-beds  were 
literally  packed,  while  heavy  showers  of  rain  sounded 
like  hail  above  our  heads. 

It  was  by  no  means  an  easy  or  a  pleasant  task  to  take 
care  of  all  these  poor  mangled  soldiers  under  such  un- 
favorable circumstances,  but  I  hated  to  acknowledge 
even  to  myself  that  I  had  undertaken  a  very  heavy  bur- 
den with  regard  to  this  bloody  campaign,  where  we  had 
to  fight  as  best  we  could  against  the  numerous  and  al- 
most insurmountable  difficulties  placed  in  the  way  of 
conscientious  sick-nurses,  who  have  to  dispense  with 
all  the  conveniences  and  even  the  necessities  of  an  or- 
dinary hospital.  We  were  often  left  without  chloro- 

234 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

form,  without  ice,  of  course,  without  beef-tea,  or  even, 
for  the  matter  of  that,  without  any  nourishing  food  at 
all  for  our  patients.  Blankets  were  a  luxury,  and, 
as  to  lint  and  linen  bandages,  we  had  to  exercise 
the  utmost  ingenuity  to  procure  the  best  possible  sub- 
stitutes therefor. 

"Five,  six,  seven,  eight/'  continued  the  major,  in  a 
stentorian  voice,  which  was  nevertheless  almost  drowned 
by  the  sullen  booming  of  the  cannon  echoing  from  the 
hills  on  our  left. 

"It  is  to  be  hoped  that  they  are  not  going  to  kill  our 
sick  and  wounded  under  the  very  shadow  of  the  Red 
Cross  flag,"  he  snarled  furiously,  for  the  cannonading 
and  fusillade  rose  louder  and  louder  as  it  closed  in  upon 
us  from  all  sides. 

The  situation  was  serious.  The  battle  which  had 
lasted  since  early  in  the  morning  had  as  yet  by  no  means 
abated,  although  it  was  now  half  past  four  in  the  after- 
noon. Moreover,  on  this  bleak  plateau,  where  our  am- 
bulance tents  were  pitched,  we  were  not  properly  protect- 
ed, and  in  case  of  a  defeat  we  had  but  little  mercy  to  ex- 
pect from  the  savage  enemy,  who,  it  was  reported,  were 
destroying  everything  wearing  our  uniform,  whether 
prisoners,  disabled  combatants,  or  even  corpses.  Sor- 
rowfully I  stood  watching  the  orderlies  as  they  lifted  the 
wounded  from  the  ambulance-cart  and  sheltered  them 
quickly  from  the  downpouring  rain.  So  absorbed  was 
I  in  this  pitiful  spectacle  that  I  started  violently  upon 
hearing  my  name  called  loudly  by  the  major. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  I  cried,  running  towards  him. 

"Matter?"  he  growled;  "why,  everything  is  the  mat- 
ter. Here  I  am  without  assistants,  and  obliged  to 
perform  goodness  knows  how  many  operations  single- 
handed.  And,  what  is  worse,  I'll  be  hanged  if  I  know 
whether  the  chloroform  will  go  round/'" 

235 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

This  was  certainly  an  ugly  state  of  affairs,  and  I  did 
not  wonder  at  the  major's  moody  face  and  brusqueness 
of  speech.  Brusque  he  always  was  more  or  less,  this 
excellent  doctor — or  major,  as  all  military  physicians 
and  surgeons  are  called  in  Europe,  because  this  rank 
belongs  to  them  by  right — but  still  I  had  never  seen  so 
forbidding  an  expression  nor  so  sombre  a  look  on  his 
much  weather-beaten  countenance.  Greatly  concerned, 
I  caught  his  arm,  and,  looking  up  in  his  perturbed  face, 
which  towered  so  high  in  the  air  above  me — the  major 
prided  himself  on  being  the  tallest  medical  man  in  the 
army — I  said  on  the  impulse  of  the  moment : 

"  Let  me  help  you  with  the  operating  part  of  it ;  you 
know  that  I  have  gained  some  little  experience  since 
I  have  been  here,  and — I  am  not  nervous  and  never  get 
tired/' 

A  smile  broke  upon  his  lips,  displaying  two  rows  of 
dazzling  white  teeth,  and  he  answered,  more  gently: 
"  That's  very  true,  but  do  you  know  what  the  physical 
fatigue  of  such  an  undertaking  means?  I  have  often 
seen  men,  hale  and  strong,  give  in  on  such  occasions ; 
and  you — poor,  little,  delicate,  slender  creature — want 
to  help  me  in  my  ghastly  butcher's  work?" 

I  laughed,  so  comical  was  the  earnestness  of  his  pro- 
test. "Have  you  anything  better  to  suggest?"  I  said, 
impatiently.  "We  have  now  here  only  two  Sisters  of 
Mercy,  who  have  more  than  they  can  attend  to  with 
the  soldiers  already  operated  upon.  Princess  W.  and 
Princess  T.  have  been  sent  for  to  assist  in  nursing  the 
patients  down  in  the  valley,  and  the  orderlies  do  not 
possess  sufficient  intelligence  to  be  of  any  efficient  use  to 
you,  so  you  see  that  my  offer  is  not  so  silly,  after  all." 

For  a  few  moments  he  gazed  at  me  with  undisguised 
astonishment.  Then  he  said,  with  a  shrug  of  his  heavy 
shoulders:  "We  might  try  it;  I'm  infernally  sorry  to 

236 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

be  forced  to  accept  this  new  sacrifice  from  you,  but  I  real- 
ly don't  see  what  else  I  can  do.  It  will  be  a  rough  ex- 
perience for  so  young  a  hand,  but  you  can  get  ready 
if  you  will  be  so  kind ;  take  one  of  my  aprons,  for  there 
will  be  lots  of  dirty  Work,  and  look  out  that  you  don't 
faint.  I  have  no  time  to  spare  in  reviving  you. " 

I  shuddered  slightly,  for  his  words  implied  that,  how- 
ever hardened  I  believed  myself  to  be,  I  was  on  the  point 
of  a  new  experience.  Of  course,  I  had  seen  many  serious 
operations  since  the  beginning  of  the  campaign,  and  I 
had  dressed  many  repulsive  wounds,  but  I  began  to 
realize  that  my  attempt  at  practical  surgery  was  likely 
to  be  fraught  with  quite  another  kind  of  hardship  than 
what  I  had  already  gone  through.  Notwithstanding,  I 
set  my  teeth,  and  ran  to  get  ready,  according  to  the 
major's  advice,  and  a  pretty  sight  I  looked  with  his 
gigantic  apron  tucked  up  under  my  chin  and  my 
sleeves  rolled  almost  to  the  shoulder,  for  all  the  world 
as  if  I  were  about  to  undertake  some  difficult  culinary 
operation  instead  of  a  great  many  grewsome  surgical 
ones. 

When  I  re-entered  the  main  tent  I  must  confess  that  I 
felt  uncommonly  like  running  away  again,  without  so 
much  as  giving  the  odious  place  another  look.  By 
means  of  some  sail-cloth,  or  canvas,  or  whatever  it  may 
have  been,  the  upper  portion  thereof  had  been  partitioned, 
and  a  long  table,  covered  with  rubber  sheeting  of  ques- 
tionable cleanliness,  had  been  placed  in  the  middle  of 
this  miniature  amphitheatre.  Near  by  on  a  stand  were 
laid  out  in  disordered  array  every  sort  of  surgical  in- 
strument from  a  saw  to  some  vicious-looking  pincers, 
together  with  sponges  and  a  provision  of  lint  and  ab- 
sorbent cotton. 

On  the  table  lay  a  poor  devil,  whose  face,  as  white  as 
linen,  bore  an  expression  of  the  most  terrified  appre- 

237 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

hension,  while  the  doctor  was  saturating  a  small  cloth 
with  chloroform.  Nerving  myself  to  stand  whatever 
would  follow,  I  modestly  approached,  and,  in  a  voice 
which  I  endeavored  to  steady,  I  reported  in  all  due  form 
that  I  was  ready  for  work. 

The  major,  without  lifting  his  head,  said  in  the  most 
matter-of-fact  manner  possible :  "  Do  you  know  how  to 
administer  chloroform?" 

I  gazed  helplessly  at  him,  and  then  shamefacedly  ad- 
mitted that  my  hand  was  as  yet  untried  at  so  ticklish  a 
job,  although  I  had,  to  be  sure,  often  seen  it  done.  In  a 
few  short  words  he  explained  to  me  what  I  was  to  do, 
and  although  I  trembled  in  a  way  that  disgusted  rtfe,  I 
set  to  work  to  carry  out  his  instructions  to  the  best  of  my 
ability. 

In  spite  of  the  attention  which  I  was  giving  to  my 
task,  I  could  not  help  casting  an  occasional  glance  at 
the  horrors  surrounding  us  upon  all  sides.  The  aspect 
of  the  whole  place  had  become  really  terrible.  Unceas- 
ingly the  wounded  were  being  carried  in,  and  as  there 
had  long  since  been  no  more  room  on  the  hastily  ar- 
ranged beds,  a  couple  of  orderlies  were  scattering  more 
bundles  of  straw  on  the  floor  to  lay  the  groaning,  mis- 
erable remnants  of  humanity  upon  as  they  arrived 
from  the  battle-field  in  a  continual  procession. 

Moans  of  heartrending  anguish  filled  the  air,  and  in 
a  corner  a  very  young  soldier,  fair-haired  and  delicately 
built,  kept  up  a  soft,  pleading  murmur  of  entreaty,  in- 
expressibly painful  to  hear,  calling  upon  his  mother, 
poor  fellow,  to  come  and  take  his  pain  away.  Wounds 
which  had  been  too  summarily  dressed  by  inexperienced 
ambulance-men  had  come  undone,  and  nothing  can 
give  an  idea  of  the  aspect  presented  by  the  poor  suf- 
ferers, torn  and  bleeding,  their  uniforms  all  covered 
with  mud,  and  their  faces  so  drawn,  pinched,  and  hag- 

238 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

gard  in  the  dim  afternoon  light  of  this  stormy  day, 
yet  displaying  still  the  thrilling  enthusiasm  of  ardent 
fighters. 

The  patient  on  the  table  having  in  the  meanwhile 
succumbed  to  the  vapors  of  the  chloroform,  and  the 
major  being  quite  ready,  we  began  the  risky  operation 
which  is  known  to  men  of  science  under  the  name  of 
"  disarticulation  of  the  shoulder  by  the  method  of  Lis- 
franc."  It  is  what  surgeons  are  pleased  to  call  a  " neat 
and  clean  operation"  or  "quick  and  dainty"  as  they 
have  it,  for  a  good  operator  can  accomplish  it  in  forty- 
five  seconds.  It  may  be  that  I  was  not  scientific  enough 
to  appreciate  its  beauties,  however,  for  I  saw  nothing 
"  dainty  "  in  the  butchering  of  the  wretched  man  whose 
livid  head  was  pillowed  upon  my  arm.  I  tried  vainly 
to  look  another  way,  but  wherever  my  eyes  fell  there 
was  nothing  but  misery  and  distress  of  the  worst  de- 
scription to  be  seen,  and  I  could  not  help  gazing  with  a 
kind  of  unaccountable  fascination  on  "my  patient," 
who  was  now  propped  up  in  a  sitting  posture,  by  the 
orders  of  the  major,  and  held  fast  between  myself  and  a 
burly  ambulancier.  This  assistant  fortunately  knew 
more  about  the  work  than  I  did,  for  when  the  major 
seized  the  deltoid  muscle,  transpierced  the  arm  with 
his  long,  narrow-bladed  knife,  and  detached  the  joint 
— all  that  in  three  masterly  movements — the  assistant 
needed  no  prompting  to  close  the  severed  arteries  with 
his  thumbs,  while  the  anxious  surgeon  was  fixing  the 
ligatures. 

"Ah!"  cried  the  major,  "that  is  all  right  I  I  venture 
to  bet  that  it  didn't  take  me  over  forty  seconds  to  do." 
I  said  nothing,  for  if  the  truth  be  known,  I  was  feeling 
extremely  sick,  but  pride  came  to  my  aid,  and  I  even 
made  a  pretence  of  admiring  the  swift  and  business-like 
fashion  in  which  he  drew  down  and  secured  the  "flap," 

239 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

like  a  flat  epaulette,  although  it  was,  to  me  at  least, 
by  no  means  a  welcome  spectacle. 

"  Do  you  know,  madame,"  the  major  continued, "  that 
there  is  always  an  immediate  danger  of  death  when  one 
places  a  patient  under  the  influence  of  chloroform  in  a 
sitting  posture,  and  that,  if  proper  care  be  not  taken, 
all  the  blood  can  run  out  of  the  body  in  four  minutes 
through  the  humoral  artery." 

No,  I  did  not  know  all  these  interesting  details,  and 
although  much  obliged  to  the  major  for  disclosing  them 
to  me,  I  did  not  lend  him  my  undivided  attention,  for  the 
patient  was  regaining  consciousness,  and  I  felt  too  deep 
a  sympathy  for  him  to  be  able  to  listen  to  technicalities. 
For  a  moment  he  cast  a  bewildered  look  upon  the  objects 
around  him;  then,  catching  sight  of  his  severed  arm, 
which  still  lay  upon  the  operating-table,  he  glanced  at 
his  mutilated  shoulder,  and,  to  my  intense  dismay,  he 
burst  into  a  passion  of  tears. 

"Halloo,  my  man,"  cried  the  doctor,  "don't  take  on 
so;  you  are  all  right  now."  But  the  poor  devil  refused 
to  be  consoled,  and  it  was  pitiful  to  hear  him  murmur 
in  a  feeble,  broken  voice :  "  What  do  you  want  me  to 
do  now?  How  can  I  work  to  keep  my  wife  and  child 
from  starving?" 

I  confess  that  I  was  nearly  overcome,  and  even  the 
major  knit  his  brows  and  looked  as  glum  as  an  owl.  But 
we  had  no  time  to  waste  on  talk,  for  on  all  sides  agonized 
voices  were  imploring  the  doctor  to  "  please  come "  and 
attend  to  their  injuries. 

The  hours  had  fled,  and  now  it  was  so  dark  that,  in 
spite  of  the  few  oil-lamps  which  had  been  procured  with 
difficulty,  we  hardly  saw  what  we  were  about. 

"Confound  this  hellish  gloom,"  exclaimed  the  major, 
who  rarely  swore,  and  I  understood  his  irritation,  feel- 
ing that  but  for  a  little  more  I  would  be  reduced  to 

240 


i. 

THE  TRIBULATIONS    OF  A   PRINCESS 

imitate  his  force  and  picturesqueness  of  language.  By 
the  aid  of  two  ambulance  lamps  we  succeeded,  however, 
in  obtaining  sufficient  light  to  continue  the  operations. 

One  after  the  other,  legs,  arms,  fingers,  toes,  were 
amputated.  Horrible  scalp  wounds,  caused  by  the 
broad-bladed  swords  of  our  formidable  opponents,  were 
stitched  up,  and  still  we  saw  no  end  to  our  task. 

I  was  so  tired  that  I  did  not  feel  my  limbs  any  longer, 
and  a  thirst,  such  as  I  had  never  experienced,  parched 
my  throat  and  mouth.  I  honestly  believe  that  by  this 
time  the  major  had  entirely  forgotten  who  and  what  I 
was,  for  he  ordered  me  about  as  he  would  any  of  his 
ordinary  dressers. 

Fortunately  I  have  always  been  able  to  adapt  myself 
quickly  to  circumstances,  so  that  I  had  rapidly  become 
acquainted  with  the  services  required  of  me.  I  now 
made  no  mistakes  while  handing  him  the  instruments 
he  required,  nor  when  helping  him  in  every  other  sort 
of  way.  How  he  could  go  on  slicing,  cutting,  sawing, 
and  stitching,  in  the  manner  he  did,  is  to  this  day  a  mys- 
tery to  me,  and  I  am  sure  that  he  must  have  been  made 
of  iron,  for  the  strain  was  something  awful  1 

Towards  midnight,  all  at  once,  he  looked  up  from  a 
frightfully  mangled  arm  he  was  excising,  and,  noticing 
my  face — a  very  pale  one  I  presume — he  said  something 
to  an  orderly.  The  latter  rushed  off  and  soon  returned 
carrying  a  pannikin  filled  with  spirits,  and  water  and  a 
couple  of  biscuits. 

"  Take  that,"  said  my  old  friend,  peremptorily, "  you'll 
faint  by-and-by  if  you  don't." 

I  thanked  him  and  tried  to  munch  a  tiny  bit  of  the 
biscuit,  but  could  not  manage  to  swallow  a  single  morsel. 
The  brandy-and-water,  strange  as  it  seemed  to  me  to 
drink  it,  did  me  infinite  good;  it  put  new  life  into  me 
and  gave  me  strength  to  continue  my  exertions. 
Q  241 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

The  rain  had  ceased,  and  outside  the  stars  were  shin- 
ing above  the  solemnly  still  world.  The  silence  was 
doubly  solemn  after  the  deafening  cannonading  of  the 
day.  I  stretched  myself  wearily,  and  prepared  every- 
thing for  a  new  operation,  for  the  orderlies  had  just 
brought  us  a  young  cavalry  officer,  whose  blood-soaked 
dolman  and  nerveless  attitude  told  their  own  tale.  His 
eyes  were  closed,  and  his  features  were  covered  with 
powder,  blood,  and  mud.  I  began  to  rub  the  grime  away 
with  a  wet  towel,  when,  to  my  horror,  I  recognized  in 
this  maimed  and  crushed  human  being,  who  had  well- 
nigh  lost  all  semblance  of  human  appearance,  young 
Count  C.,  the  darling  of  a  doting,  widowed  mother,  a 
boy  whom  I  had  known  all  my  life. 

"Major,"  I  called  out,  "see  who  this  is  !  Just  think 
of  his  poor  mother!" 

"So  it  is,  so  it  is,"  replied  he,  shaking  his  big  head 
sadly,  for  he,  too,  knew  the  brave  and  dashing  young 
officer  well. 

"  Why  was  he  not  brought  here  as  soon  as  he  arrived?" 
he  grumbled.  "  How  can  I  do  anything  for  him  now, 
after  so  many  hours?  Why,  the  boy  is  almost  gone 
from  mere  loss  of  blood." 

The  wound — at  least  the  principal  one — was  below 
the  knee,  and  the  major  cried  to  the  orderly  to  cut  the 
trousers  and  underclothes  as  quickly  as  possible.  When 
this  was  done  the  leg  appeared  in  all  its  horror.  The 
bones  had  been,  so  to  speak,  pulverized,  and  there  was 
above  the  ankle  a  great  gaping  hole  from  which  the 
muscle  emerged  like  pulp.  The  young  Count,  by  this 
time,  had  recovered  consciousness,  and,  glancing  from 
the  major  to  me — without  showing  further  astonish- 
ment at  seeing  us  there — said,  smiling  feebly :  "  They 
have  done  for  me  nicely,  have  they  not?  I  am  afraid 
there  will  be  no  more  dancing  for  me  now,  Muzzi." 

242 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

No,  indeed,  poor  fellow!  His  dancing  days  were  over. 
In  fact,  I  saw  by  the  major's  anxious  expression  and 
knitted  brow  that  he  considered  him  as  good  as  dead 
already.  The  latter  felt  the  injured  limb,  and,  finding 
it  ice-cold  and  pulseless,  gave  vent  to  a  low  whistle  which 
boded  trouble.  The  patient,  in  spite  of  his  exhausted 
condition,  noticed  all  this,  too,  and  murmured,  listlessly : 

"  A  bad  case,  eh,  major?  Better  slice  it  off  at  once 
and  have  done  with  it." 

Slice  it  off — cripple  this  handsome  youth  for  life, 
even  if  he  managed  to  pull  through  the  ghastly  opera- 
tion !  What  a  frightful  thing  war  is !  I  shuddered  as  I 
moistened  the  parched  lips  and  wiped  the  cold  sweat 
from  his  pallid  face. 

"  I  was  going  to  propose  the  amputation  to  you,  sir, 
and  I  am  happy  to  see  that  you  have  resigned  yourself 
to  it,"  the  surgeon  said,  very  gently,  all  his  brusqueness 
gone  before  so  much  quiet  courage.  "  The  sooner  the 
better,  you  know ;  so  if  you  have  no  objection  we  will 
proceed  at  once  with  the  necessary  evil." 

"  Oh  yes,  go  ahead,"  replied  the  boy ;  "  but  may  I  ask 
a  favor?" 

"Anything  you  ask  will  be  done.  What  is  it  you 
wish?" 

"Simply  that  you  should  stay  by  me  to  the  end." 
This  was  said  to  me  with  such  a  look  of  almost  diffi- 
dent entreaty  that  I  was  quite  overcome  and  could 
hardly  steady  my  voice  sufficiently  to  answer :  "  Stay 
with  you?  Yes,  of  course  I  will  stay  with  you,  my 
poor  dear.  You  know  that  I  will,  and  save  you,  too, 
if  devoted  nursing  can  accomplish  it. " 

The  preparations  did  not  take  long.  Already  I  had 
seized  the  chloroform  while  the  surgeon  turned  to  his 
tableful  of  instruments.  I  went  through  my  share 
of  the  horrible  affair  like  one  in  a  dream,  as  though  it 

-243 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

were  the  last  drop  which  was  likely  to  make  my  cup  of 
fatigue  and  nervous  exhaustion  overflow.  But  I  was 
obliged  to  rally  my  sinking  strength,  for  at  the  very 
moment  when  the  operation  was  over  and  the  orderly 
was  bearing  off  the  severed  leg,  the  Count  opened  his 
eyes,  and,  in  order  to  avoid  his  witnessing  this  last  act 
of  the  tragedy,  I  began  to  talk  to  him  with  all  the  anima- 
tion and  volubility  I  could  summon  up. 

Shortly  afterwards  I  found  myself  in  the  farthest  cor- 
ner of  the  ambulance  tent,  watching  beside  the  bed 
where  he  had  been  laid.  Operating  was  over,  at  least 
for  that  night,  and  I  was  trying  to  redeem  my  promise, 
although  the  condition  of  the  patient  gave  me  but  little 
hope  of  being  able  to  pull  him  through,  as  I  had  assured 
him  that  I  would.  The  major  had  begged  me  hard  to 
sleep  for  a  few  hours  at  least,  undertaking  to  relieve 
me  of  all  care  during  that  time,  but  I  felt  that  it  would  be 
impossible  for  me  to  attempt  anything  of  the  kind  after 
all  the  excitement  of  the  day ;  the  unusual  fatigue  and 
the  terrible  anxiety  weighed  me  down,  on  account  of 
the  precious  life  intrusted  to  my  care,  and  my  care  alone 
— as  I  thought,  at  least — for  was  not  the  poor  fellow  a 
dear  friend  of  all  time? 

My  patient  had  dropped  into  an  uneasy  doze,  troubled 
only  too  often  by  the  moans  of  all  the  suffering  hu- 
manity about  us.  Suddenly  his  eyes  opened  wide,  for 
an  instant  he  cast  a  glance  of  terror  about  him,  then, 
in  a  voice  of  shocking  agony,  he  said,  despairingly : 

"  I  think  I  am  going  to  die — come  to  me — let  me  hold 
your  hand." 

I  knelt  beside  his  rude  little  couch,  fondling  him  as 
if  he  had  been  a  baby,  and  calling  him  by  those  endear- 
ing names  which  mothers  use  to  their  sick  children  in 
order  to  soothe  their  pain.  At  that  moment  I  truly 
forgot  that  he  was  a  stalwart  cavalry  officer,  with  a  pair 

244  . 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

of  fair  mustaches  which  had  worked  havoc  in  many  a 
feminine  heart,  and  remembered  him  only  as  the  com- 
panion with  whom  I  had  played  in  former  days.  His 
large  blue  eyes,  so  soft,  heavy,  and  languid,  were  fixed 
on  me  with  the  regret  of  the  life  that  he  was  about  to 
lose  clearly  printed  in  their  fast-glazing  orbs. 

"I  am  cold — cold,"  he  muttered. 

I  threw  my  arms  about  him  with  the  vague  instinct 
that  I  could  help  him.  He  shut  his  eyes  only  to  quickly 
open  them  again  in  the  same  startled  manner  as  before. 

"Say  a  prayer/'  he  gasped,  and  almost  mechan- 
ically I  repeated  the  sublime  words  of  our  Catholic  last 
blessing  for  the  dying:  "Per  sacrosancta  humana  re- 
partionis  mysteria  remittat  tibi  omnipotens.  Deus  om- 
nes."  The  words  left  my  lips  incoherently,  for  I  was 
watching  the  last  struggle  of  the  departing  soul  with 
its  earthly  envelope.  Gradually  the  features  relaxed, 
the  fair  head  fell  back  against  my  arm,  and,  with  a 
sort  of  sob,  the  spirit  took  its  flight. 

I  think  that  after  this  last  shock  I  must  have  lost  con- 
sciousness for  a  few  minutes.  The  next  thing  I  remem- 
ber was  lying  half  across  the  miserable  little  hospital 
bed.  I  rose  to  my  feet,  reverently  closed  the  eyes  of  the 
dead  boy,  and  then  stood  irresolute,  not  knowing  what 
to  do  next. 

The  long,  low,  canvas-roofed  ambulance,  lighted  only 
by  a  few  smoky  lamps,  looked  dismal  indeed,  while  the 
heavy  breathing  of  the  slumbering  wounded  sounded 
from  the  deep  shadows.  I  knew  that  there  was  no  use  in 
arousing  my  friend  the  major  from  his  valiantly  earned 
sleep  to  acquaint  him  with  dismal  news  which  it  would 
be  quite  time  enough  to  tell  him  in  the  morning.  So  I 
drew  the  coarse  sheet  over  Count  C.'s  face,  and,  dazed 
and  dizzy,  I  sank  down  upon  the  floor  between  his  bed 
and  that  of  a  corporal  of  an  infantry  regiment  who  had 

245 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

been  brought  in  earlier  in  the  evening  with  a  bullet- hole 
through  his  lungs  and  other  injuries  yet  more  serious. 
One  of  our  Sisters  of  Mercy  had  come  every  hour  to 
moisten  his  lips  and  to  look  at  the  dressing  of  his 
wounds,  but  now  she  was  busy  elsewhere,  and  he  him- 
self seemed  to  have  fallen  into  a  deep  sleep. 

Supporting  my  back  against  my  dead  playmate's 
little  bed,  and  with  my  hands  listlessly  crossed  in  my 
lap,  I  let  my  eyes  wander  from  one  scene  of  misery  to 
another.  In  the  midst  of  my  gloomy  observations  I  was 
overpowered  by  all  I  had  gone  through,  and,  in  spite 
of  sorrow  and  of  aching  bones,  I  dropped  into  a  stupe- 
fied slumber. 

I  dreamed  all  manner  of  confused  things.  I  was 
fighting,  struggling  with  scores  of  enemies;  then  a 
huge  rock  seemed  to  fall  upon  me  from  the  top  of  a 
mountain,  and  I  was  vainly  attempting  to  disengage 
myself  from  under  its  killing  weight.  I  screamed,  but 
the  cry  was  strangled  in  my  throat.  Again  I  raised 
my  voice  loudly,  and  the  sound  of  it  awoke  me.  Was 
all  this  a  dream?  Was  I  really  being  crushed  by  some 
awful  mass?  My  cry  aroused  two  orderlies,  and  the 
major  himself,  who  came  rushing  towards  me.  I  vague- 
ly remember  their  discussing  my  mishap.  I  felt  them 
removing  the  weight  from  my  breast,  and  then  I  sank 
again  into  confused  visions  and  dreams. 

Later  I  was  told  what  had  happened,  and  a  shiver 
runs  through  my  veins  to  this  day  when  I  think  of  it. 
When  resistless  sleep  had  conquered  me,  the  wound- 
ed corporal,  striving,  in  the  throes  of  his  last  terrible 
agony,  to  free  himself  from  that  unconquerable  grip 
which  takes  hold  of  us  all  alike  when  our  time  has 
come,  had  fallen  from  his  bed  upon  me. 

*  i-f  *  *  *  *  * 

It  was  during  that  campaign  that  I  began  to  find  out 

246 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A  PRINCESS 

that  to  help  others  in  their  trouble  is  the  best  way  to 
lighten  one's  own  burdens,  and  I  was  sincerely  glad 
that  we  had  gained  permission  to  go  with  the  troops 
to  the  field  of  war.  Protected  by  the  Red  Cross  badge 
of  the  "Convention  de  Geneve,"  we  seldom  ran  the  risk 
of  any  actual  danger,  and,  so  far  as  privations  were 
concerned,  we  did  not  mind  them  at  all.  This  ex- 
traordinary declaration,  coming  from  us  who  had  been 
brought  up  in  the  lap  of  luxury,  and  who  had  not  the 
faintest  idea  of  what  privations  really  meant,  caused 
our  friends  to  smile  at  our  simplicity  at  the  time  it  was 
uttered.  But  we  were  all  three  in  perfect  health,  and 
firmly  resolved  to  succeed ;  so  we  had  finally  succeeded. 
"  Ce  que  femme  vent,  Dieu  le  veut,"  is  a  French  proverb 
which  has  more  than  once  proved  only  too  true. 

Our  first  weeks  of  campaigning  were  devoted  to  nurs- 
ing the  sick  and  tending  the  wounded.  In  spite  of  all 
that  may  be  said  to  the  contrary  by  idealists,  it  is  not 
a  pleasant  task,  and  many  a  time  have  I  quaked  at  the 
sight  of  some  strong  young  soldier  crippled  for  life  by 
the  bullets  of  the  enemy  or  killed  outright  like  my  friend 
Count  C.  Habit,  however,  is  a  great  master,  and  with 
time  and  several  such  experiences  as  the  one  above  re- 
lated, I  became  so  well  used  to  life  in  camp  ambulances 
that  I  ended  by  really  considering  myself  to  be  as  cool 
and  collected  in  the  accomplishment  of  my  self-imposed 
duties  as  any  hardened  army  surgeon  among  us,  and 
enjoyed  them,  if  I  am  again  to  tell  the  naked  truth ! 

No  country  on  the  face  of  our  unfortunate  planet  has 
been  more  ravaged,  no  land  more  often  soaked  with  the 
blood  of  its  inhabitants,  than  that  portion  of  Europe 
which  our  troops  were  occupying.  Everything  around 
us  had  been  desolated  by  fire  and  bloodshed  as  severely 
as  during  the  first  invasion  of  the  barbarians,  hundreds 
of  years  before.  Very  grand,  but  very  dreary  and  sad, 

247 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

was  the  landscape  with  its  wonderful  denies  and  its 
high  mountains  enclosing  rushing  streams.  The  sand- 
stone rocks,  worn  by  erosion  into  fantastic  forms  wor- 
thy of  Gustave  Dora's  pencil,  took  in  the  twilight,  and  at 
early  dawn,  the  shape  of  huge  dragons,  lions,  or  other 
equally  startling  -  looking  objects.  Then  came  great 
deserted  plains,  with  here  and  there  cottages  built  of  clay 
on  foundations  of  dry,  loose  stones  covered  with  pieces 
of  wood,  little  forsaken  dwellings  from  which  the  inhabi- 
tants had  fled  in  terror.  It  was  difficult  to  procure  food 
for  the  army,  for  the  culture  is  always  poor  in  this 
wild  land,  and  everything  available  had  been  pillaged. 

For  the  first  time  in  my  life  I  knew  what  hunger  meant. 
An  experience  of  that  kind  is  liable  to  make  one  forever 
afterwards  feel  very  charitably  inclined  towards  the 
unfortunates  who  claim  one's  mercy  on  the  plea  of  star- 
vation. 

Strange  as  it  may  appear,  however,  I  had  never  felt 
better  than  during  these  months  of  privation  and  fatigue. 
Many  a  time,  after  being  the  whole  day  in  the  saddle,  I 
slept  on  the  bare  ground,  with  nothing  to  protect  me  from 
the  sharp  night  air  excepting  a  rough  military  cloak, 
or  else  curled  up  against  my  reclining  horse,  and  slept 
far  better  than  under  the  velvet  and  lace  canopy  of  my 
soft  bed  at  home. 

Just  in  the  same  manner  did  I  relish  a  crust  of 
soldier's  hard  bread,  and  a  mess  of  more  than  ques- 
tionable soup,  eaten  beside  the  bivouac  fires  with  a 
ravenous  hunger  as  an  appetizer.  Everybody  was  so 
courteous  and  considerate  too.  Those  uneducated  men 
of  our  army,  although  certainly  roughened  by  the  wild 
life  of  soldiers  on  active  service,  were  always  ready  to 
give  up  their  own  scant  comforts  in  order  to  add  to  mine, 
had  I  been  disposed  to  allow  them  to  do  so.  As  it  was, 
I  had  many  a  hard  fight  with  my  patients,  so  anxious 

248 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

were  they  to  share  with  me  the  thin  beef-tea  or  sup  of 
wine  which  it  was  so  difficult  to  procure  for  them.  But 
enough  of  this,  or  my  reminiscences  will  carry  me  so 
far  as  to  weary  my  readers. 

Shortly  after  the  defeat  of  the  enemy  by  our  forces,  at 
the  most  important  and  hotly  contested  point,  our  bri- 
gade was  camping  at  the  foot  of  some  high  and  precipi- 
tous cliffs,  one  regiment  being  separated  from  the  army 
corps  by  a  superb  defile  of  steep  rocks.  It  was  the  most 
romantic  site  imaginable,  plentifully  wooded  with  oaks, 
beeches,  and  elms,  but  the  excessively  narrow  road 
winding  between  the  cliffs  was  strangely  grewsome  in 
its  loneliness  and  awe-inspiring  grandeur. 

One  afternoon  I  had  ridden  over  from  our  camp,  a  dis- 
tance of  ten  miles  or  so,  to  the  other  side  of  the  defile, 
where  Princess  T.  was  doing  her  share  of  nursing.  It 
was  nearly  dusk  when  I  ordered  my  horse  to  be  brought 
round,  intending  to  ride  back  to  camp  before  night.  I 
refused  the  escort  which  the  general  in  command  most 
kindly  and  urgently  pressed  me  to  accept,  for  I  knew 
that  I  would  be  far  safer  alone  than  when  accompanied 
by  soldiers  wearing  the  hated  uniform  of  the  army  of 
occupation.  Besides,  as  I  have,  I  fear,  betrayed  long 
ere  this,  I  was  absurdly  romantic  in  those  days,  and  I 
considered  it  more  chivalrous  on  my  part  not  to  expose 
my  fellow-creatures  to  the  bullets  and  yatagans  of  the 
dreaded  foe  who  were  known  to  be  always  in  ambush 
in  the  mountain  passes. 

After  having  succeeded  in  persuading  the  general  of 
my  perfect  safety,  I  mounted  my  black  charger  "  Dare- 
Devil,  "  and  was  about  to  start  off  at  a  brisk  canter,  when 
the  dear  old  general,  putting  his  hand  on  the  pommel  of 
my  saddle  and  coming  close  to  me,  whispered :  "  Take 
care,  my  dear  child.  It  would  never  do  for  you  to  be 
caught  carrying  despatches."  I  laughed  gayly,  to  re- 

249 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

assure  him,  still  I  knew  full  well  how  true  his  words  were. 
It  would  very  likely  mean  nothing  short  of  death  to  me. 
The  fact  was  that,  seeing  me  determined  to  ride  back  to 
camp  alone,  the  commander,  who  thought  that  a  woman 
protected  by  the  brassard  of  the  Red  Cross  stood  a  better 
chance  of  passing  unharmed  through  the  defile  than 
any  member  of  his  staff,  had  intrusted  to  me  a  despatch 
of  the  utmost  importance.  It  was  written  in  cipher  on 
a  tiny  scrap  of  flimsy  paper,  and,  rolling  it  tightly,  I  had 
inserted  it  in  the  woodcock  quill  which  was  so  jauntily 
stuck  on  the  band  of  my  military  cap. 

As  I  rode  along  in  the  gathering  gloom  I  glanced  once 
or  twice  at  the  two  little  revolvers  in  my  holsters  with  a 
feeling  of  confidence  and  satisfaction,  for  I  was,  all  boast- 
ing apart,  a  neat  shot,  and  I  believed  that  I  was  perfectly 
capable  of  defending  myself  if  attacked.  The  trouble, 
however,  was  that  those  terrible  mountaineers  lay  in 
hiding  behind  the  jutting  rocks,  and  that  their  mode  of 
attack  consisted  in  shooting  the  unsuspecting  travellers 
who  ventured  through  the  mountain  passes  like  so  many 
rabbits  in  a  warren,  or  sometimes  in  swiftly  pouncing 
upon  them  from  their  places  of  concealment  and  making 
them  prisoners  before  they  had  time  to  defend  them- 
selves. 

The  road  was  frightfully  rough  and  uneven,  for  it  was 
but  the  dried-up  bed  of  a  mountain  torrent,  full  of  sharp 
stones  and  bits  of  yellow  quartz.  I  picked  my  way 
carefully  in  the  fast-fading  evening  light,  much  to  the 
disgust  of  my  fretful  young  horse,  who  passaged  from 
side  to  side  in  an  uncomfortable  manner.  Fortunately, 
as  I  reached  the  beginning  of  the  defile,  the  moon,  like 
a  huge  golden  lamp,  rose  from  behind  the  mountains, 
lighting  up  the  path  with  dazzling  brilliancy,  but  leav- 
ing the  steep  rock-walls  and  densely  wooded,  precipi- 
tous slopes  on  both  sides  in  inky  darkness.  This  made 

250 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

matters  less  difficult  for  me,  but  still  I  could  not  take 
great  advantage  of  this  favorable  circumstance  or  give 
my  impatient  mount  his  head,  for  I  realized  that  should 
any  sharp-shooters  be  lying  in  wait  behind  these  dark 
ramparts,  anything  like  flight  on  my  part  would  surely 
hasten  my  fate. 

Never  before  had  I  observed  how  loud  a  noise  is  pro- 
duced by  the  hoofs  of  a  horse  on  hard  ground.  It  seemed 
to  me  as  if  all  the  mountain  echoes  had  been  awakened 
by  "  Dare-Devil's  "  really  elastic  step.  Again  and  again 
I  peered  first  on  one  side,  and  then  on  the  other,  imag- 
ining that  this  unearthly  "ra-ta-ta"  would  at  every 
moment  bring  something  peculiarly  disagreeable  and 
undesirable  about  my  ears.  I  cannot  say  that  I  was 
exactly  frightened,  as  I  was  never  much  of  a  coward, 
but  I  felt  a  certain  tightening  about  the  region  of  the 
heart  which  I  scorned,  and  which  made  me  very  angry 
with  myself. 

I  had  reached  the  middle  of  the  pass,  which  was  very 
narrow  at  that  point,  and  was  beginning  to  think  that 
nothing  was  likely  to  happen  to  me  after  all,  when, 
without  the  slightest  warning,  four  gigantic  figures 
rushed  upon  me,  two  from  each  side  of  the  pass,  and 
before  I  could  even  dream  of  seizing  my  revolvers, "  Dare- 
Devil "  was  brought  to  a  sudden  standstill  by  an  iron 
grip,  and  both  my  hands  were  being  dexterously  tied 
behind  my  back.  This  was  shame,  indeed,  for  so  brave 
a  little  soldier  in  petticoats  as  I  fondly  imagined  myself 
to  be,  and  at  the  consciousness  of  the  indignity  to  which 
I  was  being  subjected  all  my  courage  revived.  Luckily 
I  spoke  half  a  dozen  dialects  of  that  part  of  the  world 
well  enough  to  make  myself  understood. 

"What  do  you  mean  by  making  a  woman  prisoner?" 
I  cried.  Then,  as  it  flashed  upon  me  that  my  address 
was  hardly  of  a  conciliatory  nature,  I  added  more  gently, 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

"  Since  when  have  you  sunk  so  low  as  to  go  to  war  with 
girls?"  The  moon  shone  so  brightly  that  I  could  see  a 
smile  flicker  on  the  superbly  handsome  bronzed  features 
of  the  huge  fellow  who  was  holding  "  Dare-Devil's " 
bridle  with  no  ordinary  strength. 

"  We  do  not  wish  to  harm  you,"  he  replied,  very  softly, 
"provided  you  mean  no  tricks." 

"Tricks!"  exclaimed  I,  indignantly.  "Fine  tricks  I 
am  able  to  play  when  you  have  begun  by  putting  me 
hors  de  combat!  Shame  on  you !  Don't  you  see  the  Red 
Cross  on  my  arm?  I  am" — here  I  slightly  hesitated 
— "  I  am  a  sort  of  Sister  of  Mercy,  an  army  nurse — do 
you  understand?  And  many  are  the  men  of  your  race 
whom  I  have  nursed  devotedly  during  the  last  months." 

"  We  know  this  well,  and  also  who  you  are,  madame. 
Do  not  think  us  ungrateful  for  what  you  have  done,  and 
if  you  are  only  willing  to  swear  that  you  are  carrying  no 
despatches,  we  will  take  your  word  for  it,  and  let  you 
go  free.  Otherwise,"  continued  the  young  man,  who 
seemed,  judging  by  his  gorgeous  costume,  to  be  a  chief, 
"we  will  make  you  prisoner  in  good  earnest,  and" — 
he  finished  his  sentence  with  a  gesture  by  no  means 
reassuring. 

This  was  a  pretty  mess,  forsooth  !  I  collected  my 
wits  as  best  I  could,  and,  glaring  ferociously  at  him,  I 
exclaimed,  drawing  myself  up  as  far  as  my  pinioned 
arms  would  allow  me  to  do :  "I  refuse  to  answer  your 
impudent  question.  If  you  think  that  I  am  a  likely 
object  to  be  intrusted  with  despatches,  execute  your 
threats,  make  me  a  prisoner.  It  will  be  an  easy  job  and 
a  glorious  victory  " — this  with  a  derisive  laugh.  "  Search 
me,  if  so  be  your  pleasure;  it  will  only  add  a  finish  to 
your  exquisite  courtesy.  But  pray  put  an  end  to  this 
distasteful  scene,  which  has  lasted  long  enough.  I 
may  be  an  estafette,  after  all,  you  know!" 

252 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

A  queer  little  creature  I  must  have  looked  on  my  strug- 
gling steed,  with  my  short,  kilt-like  riding-skirt,  spurred 
boots,  white  dolman,  and  dashing  military  cap,  through 
which  the  ominous  woodcock's  quill  seemed  to  burn  a 
hole  into  the  very  depths  of  my  thick,  tightly  braided 
hair.  My  captors  looked  at  me  for  a  moment,  then 
at  each  other.  They  were  a  long  time  making  up  their 
minds,  at  least  it  appeared  so  to  me.  Finally,  at  a  sign 
from  my  interlocutor,  one  of  them  untied  my  hands. 

"You  are  right,  madame,  we  do  not  fight  women/' 
said  he,  baring  his  head,  "and  especially  when  they 
are  brave  like  you.  Go  in  peace.  Had  you  been  afraid 
of  us,  things  would  have  turned  out  differently,  but  we 
admire  a  virtue  which,  above  all  others,  we  pride  our- 
selves in  possessing.  This  pass  is  not  safe,  as  you  have 
had  reason  to  find  out  to  your  cost,  and  we  shall  ac- 
company you  until  you  are  within  hearing  of  your  sen- 
tries. But  be  warned — do  not  tempt  Providence  thus 
again." 

As  he  said  this  the  handsome  chief  let  go  of  "Dare- 
Devil's"  bridle,  a  circumstance  which  this  well-named 
animal  immediately  availed  himself  of  by  bolting  with 
lightning  rapidity.  It  was  no  easy  task  to  rein  him 
in,  but  I  did  so,  not  wishing  to  look  as  if  I  meant  to  run 
away.  In  silence  we  proceeded  on  our  road,  my  stal- 
wart body-guards  keeping  pace  with  me  faithfully,  until, 
at  the  end  of  the  pass,  which  we  reached  some  twenty 
minutes  later  the  camp-fires  became  discernible,  glit- 
tering like  enormous  glow-worms  on  the  dark  plain.  I 
stopped  my  horse,  and,  beckoning  to  the  chief,  I  said, 
not  without  some  slight  emotion : 

"  You  have  been  very  generous.  I  shall  not  forget  it. 
Pray  accept  this  as  a  small  token  of  my  gratitude,"  and  I 
handed  him  my  two  revolvers,  which  were  jewels  of  their 
kind.  With  a  bow  worthy  a  throne-room,  the  young 

25 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

man  thrust  them  in  his  broad,  silken  belt,  which  bristled 
already  with  weapons  of  the  most  formidable  aspect ; 
then,  pressing  most  deferentially  to  his  lips  the  hand  I 
extended  to  him,  he  turned  on  his  heel,  and,  followed 
by  his  imperturbable  subordinates,  he  vanished,  as  he 
had  come,  in  the  inky  blackness  of  the  night. 

In  a  few  minutes  I  had  answered  the  sentry's  chal- 
lenge and  rode  at  a  spanking  gallop  into  camp.  I  could 
not  easily  have  analyzed  my  very  mingled  feelings,  but 
until  the  end  of  the  campaign  I  repaid  the  chief's  chiv- 
alrous conduct  by  tending  the  wounded  mountaineers 
who  fell  into  our  hands  with  extra  care  and  devotion. 
He  had  proved  to  me  to  be  a  friend  indeed,  as  well  as  a 
friend  in  need,  and  I  did  not  forget  it. 


CHAPTER  XV 

"O  glorious  land,  O  happy  days  and  sweet; 
But  hush  1  he  hears  his  prison-keeper's  feet." 

IT  was  bitterly  cold,  snow  had  fallen  all  day  long,  and 
now  a  violent  wind  had  arisen  and  was  shaking  the 
icicles  from  the  denuded  trees  on  the  streets  and  boule- 
vards and  chasing  the  inky  clouds  across  the  yet  darker 
heavens.  As  I  stood  by  the  library  window  watching 
the  storm  raging  over  the  beautiful  town  I  loved,  I  felt 
unaccountably  sad.  Nothing  had  occurred  since  my 
return  from  the  seat  of  war  to  make  me  more  than  usu- 
ally discontented,  and,  in  the  eyes  of  the  world  at  least, 
I  had  everything  to  make  life  enjoyable. 

Moreover,  on  that  particular  night  a  kind  of  presenti- 
ment of  coming  evil  seemed  to  weigh  upon  me,  and  I 
shivered  in  that  warm,  balmy  room,  brightened  by  a 
huge  log  fire  and  perfumed  by  the  scent  of  many  exotics, 
just  as  if  the  frozen  atmosphere  of  the  outer  world  had 
penetrated  to  my  very  heart.  The  noise  of  the  opening 
door  made  me  turn  my  head  from  the  dark  window-panes 
towards  the  softly  illumined  apartment.  My  groom  of 
the  chambers  was  standing  before  me  with  a  letter. 

"The  bearer  of  this  note  entreats  to  be  granted  an 
audience  to-night,"  the  man  said,  with  as  much  an- 
noyance in  his  tone  as  he  dared  to  display.  "I  have 
tried  to  impress  upon  her  how  unlikely  it  is  that  she 
should  be  received  at  this  hour,  but  she  seems  in  great 
distress,  and  refuses  to  go  away." 

Somewhat  surprised,  I  took  the  note,  which  I  at  first 
believed  to  be  a  begging  letter,  but  a  glance  at  the  few 

255 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

passionate  words  of  entreaty  hastily  scrawled  on  the 
paper  showed  me  that  I  had  been  mistaken,  and  I  gave 
orders  that  the  late  visitor  should  be  brought  to  me  at 
once.  As  I  did  so  I  glanced  at  the  little  clock  on  my 
writing-table ;  it  was  half-past  eleven  already — truly  an 
unusual  hour  to  receive  a  stranger  whose  errand  with 
me  seemed,  to  say  the  least,  extremely  mysterious. 
But  the  appeal  was  so  full  of  agonized  supplication 
that  I  had  not  the  heart  to  resist  it. 

Once  more  the  door  opened,  and  a  girl  wrapped  in  a 
long  cloak  entered  the  room.  The  first  glance  showed 
me  that  she  was  not  only  very  lovely,  but  also  unmis- 
takably a  lady.  Her  features  were  drawn,  her  face 
singularly  bloodless,  and  she  was  trembling  from  head 
to  foot  as  she  advanced  towards  me. 

"What  is  the  matter?  What  can  I  do  for  you?"  said 
I,  motioning  her  to  a  seat.  With  a  low  moan  she  sank 
down  at  my  feet,  and  in  a  broken  way,  which  was  un- 
pleasant to  hear,  she  exclaimed : 

"  Oh,  madame,  how  can  I  ever  thank  you  for  having 
received  me — you  who  alone  can  save  me!" 

Forcing  her  to  sit  down,  I  urged  her  to  confide  to  me 
the  trouble  which  had  led  her  to  seek  my  assistance. 
It  was  a  very  sad  story,  which  she  related  amid  her  sobs, 
and  I  felt  more  moved  while  listening  to  her,  I  think, 
than  I  had  ever  been  before. 

"My  name  is  Nadeje  Z.,  or  rather,  Nadeje  B.," 
added  she,  blushing  violently.  "I  am  eighteen,  and, 
although  a  Russian  by  birth,  I  have  been  brought  up 
here,  where  my  widowed  father,  who  was  exiled  twelve 
years  ago,  for  political  reasons,  from  the  Czar's  domin- 
ions, has  resided  ever  since.  My  father  is  a  severe  and 
embittered  man,  and,  as  he  considers  that  his  fate  has 
been  an  unjust  one,  he  hates  Russia  and  everything  Rus- 
sian deeply.  Two  years  ago  I  met  at  the  house  of  one 

256 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

of  my  friends  a  young  Russian  officer,  who  is  distantly 
related  to  them.  We  loved  each  other  almost  immedi- 
ately. Of  course  I  did  not  dare  to  tell  my  father  any- 
thing about  our  attachment,  for  I  well  knew  that  the 
fact  of  Fedor  being  a  Russian  officer  would  be  a  more 
than  sufficient  reason  for  consent  to  our  marriage  being 
refused.  My  fiance,  however,  did  not  believe  this,  and 
waited  on  him  to  ask  for  my  hand.  There  is  no  use  in 
my  describing  all  I  suffered  in  consequence.  Sufficient 
be  it  for  me  to  say  that,  infuriated  by  the  discovery  of 
our  engagement,  I  was  commanded  to  break  it  off,  and 
forbidden  to  hold  any  further  communication  with  F£- 
dor.  At  first  I  struggled  between  my  love  and  filial 
obedience,  but  at  last,  conquered  by  Fe"dor's  supplica- 
tions, I  consented  to  marry  him  secretly.  Shortly  after- 
wards he  was  called  to  St.  Petersburg,  and  I  prevailed 
upon  him  to  let  me  remain  at  home,  for  a  few  months  at 
least,  as  I  had  as  yet  not  the  courage  to  disclose  my 
secret  marriage.  Moreover,  I  hoped  to  succeed  in  mol- 
lifying my  father,  and,  little  by  little,  to  reach  a  point 
where  it  would  be  easier  to  confess  the  irretrievable  step 
which  I  had  taken.  In  this  I  was  mistaken,  and  I  soon 
found  out  that  the  mere  mention  of  Fe"dor's  name  only 
served  to  render  my  case  more  hopeless.  To  make 
matters  worse,  the  time  soon  came  when  it  was  impossi- 
ble for  me  to  conceal  my  marriage  any  longer.  Driven 
to  desperation,  I  confided  in  the  friends  at  whose  house  I 
had  met  my  husband.  Great  was  their  perturbation,  for, 
knowing  my  parent  as  they  did,  they  realized  how  im- 
possible it  would  be  to  ever  obtain  his  forgiveness.  They 
dissuaded  me  from  telling  him  the  truth,  and  agreed  to 
help  me  temporarily  in  my  great  trouble.  Consequent- 
ly, they  invited  me  to  spend  the  summer  with  them  at 
their  villa  on  the  Adriatic  coast.  There  my  little  boy 
was  born,  and  there,  with  a  breaking  heart,  I  was  forced 
R  257 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

to  leave  him  in  the  care  of  an  old  retainer  of  my  friend's 
family,  when,  in  November,  I  was  recalled  home. 

"During  all  this  time  F£dor  had  been  unable  to  ob- 
tain leave  of  absence,  and  I  therefore  determined  to  al- 
low matters  to  rest  as  they  were  until  he  came  back  to 
me.  A  month  ago  he  wrote  that  he  would  be  here 
shortly,  when  he  would  appeal  to  my  father,  and,  with 
or  without  his  consent,  would  take  the  child  and  my- 
self back  with  him  to  Russia.  Yesterday  I  received 
news  from  him  to  the  effect  that,  having  been  unjustly 
incriminated  in  a  Nihilistic  conspiracy,  together  with 
three  other  officers  of  his  regiment,  he  is  being  sent  to 
Siberia,  after  a  more  than  summary  judgment.  He 
swears  that  he  is  innocent,  and  that  he  has  always  been 
loyal  to  the  Czar,  that  his  only  sin  is  to  have  incurred 
his  colonel's,  disfavor,  and  that  his  condemnation  is  a 
mere  act  of  revenge  on  the  latter's  part!  What  was  I 
to  do  in  this  frightful  emergency?  I  thought  at  first  of 
starting  for  St.  Petersburg  and  of  appealing  to  the  Czar, 
but  what  chance  has  my  father's  daughter  of  obtaining 
an  audience  from  his  Majesty?  Then  suddenly  I  re- 
membered having  heard  that  you  have  great  influence 
at  the  court  of  St.  Petersburg,  and,  as  I  knew  you  to  be 
good  and  merciful,  I  ventured  to  come  and  cry  out  my 
misery  to  you,  and  to  implore  you  to  help  me  to  save  my 
love  from  this  cruel  iniquity." 

With  these  last  words  the  wretched  girl  cast  herself 
once  more  before  me,  and,  grasping  my  dress  in  her 
hands,  pressed  it  to  her  lips.  I  had  some  difficulty 
in  soothing  her  into  something  like  composure,  but 
when  she  grew  quieter  I  began,  as  is  my  wont  when 
much  perplexed,  to  pace  up  and  down  the  room,  trying 
to  collect  my  thoughts  and  to  make  up  my  mind  how 
best  I  could  rescue  the  doomed  man.  I  fully  realized 
what  a  wellnigh  impossible  task  I  had  before  me.  In 

258 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A  PRINCESS 

spite  of  my  mother's  influence  at  the  Russian  court, 
and  of  the  fact  that  I  was  somewhat  of  a  favorite  there, 
I  knew  well  that  the  ever-increasing  atrocities  committed 
by  the  Nihilists,  and  the  great  severity  displayed  by 
the  Russian  authorities  towards  anybody  suspected  of 
revolutionary  tendencies,  rendered  my  prospects  of  obtain- 
ing a  free  pardon  for  the  young  officer  at  this,  the  eleventh 
hour,  exceedingly  slight.  Nevertheless,  I  decided  that, 
come  what  may,  I  would  do  my  best  to  save  him. 

Turning  towards  the  girl,  who  was  piteously  sobbing, 
I  said :  "  I  shall  start  for  St.  Petersburg  in  the  morning, 
and  I  will  leave  no  stone  unturned  to  restore  your  hus- 
band to  you.  Go  back  to  your  father's  house,  and  trust 
me  implicitly.  This  is  a  very  serious  matter,  and  no 
one  must  know  of  it  for  the  present.  I  do  not  intend  to 
communicate  with  you  until  I  have  either  succeeded  or 
failed.  Promise  me  to  keep  calm  and  to  worry  as  little 
as  possible,  and  under  no  circumstances  tell  any  one 
that  you  have  seen  me  to-night  or  that  I  have  promised 
to  help  you." 

It  is  useless  to  enter  here  into  the  scene  which  fol- 
lowed. The  poor  girl  was  very  grateful.  But  as  I  am 
not  effusive  by  nature,  I  do  not  like  to  see  others  fall 
into  emotional  demonstrations.  And  I  was  very  glad 
when  I  finally  managed  to  send  her  home  hopeful  and 
comforted. 

By  this  time  it  was  almost  morning.  The  first 
glimmer  of  dawn  began  to  light  up  the  deep  layer  of 
snow  on  the  balconies  outside,  and  shimmered  through 
the  feathery  flakes  that  still  fell  noiselessly.  But  I  did 
not  feel  tired,  and  walked  up  and  down  from  the  monu- 
mental fireplace  to  the  doors  of  the  winter-garden  ad- 
joining the  library  for  more  than  an  hour,  thinking  over 
my  plan  of  campaign,  and  arranging  in  my  mind  the 
details  of  the  coming  journey. 

259 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

At  seven  o'clock  I  went  to  my  room  and  summoned 
Johanna,  who  was  greatly  shocked  when  she  found  I 
had  not  gone  to  bed  at  all.  Her  astonishment  was  not 
lessened  by  the  instructions  I  gave  her  to  be  ready  to 
start  with  me  for  St.  Petersburg  in  three  hours.  When 
I  ended  by  asking  whether  my  husband  was  at  home 
or  not,  her  astonishment  was  complete.  After  having 
made  due  inquiries  from  the  valet  on  duty  in  his  master's 
antechamber,  she  informed  me  that  the  latter  had  just 
returned  from  his  club,  and  was  now  drinking  a  cup  of 
tea  in  his  dressing-room.  As  was  my  custom  now, 
when  I  had  something  of  importance  to  communicate  to 
him — a  rare  incident,  it  is  true — I  wrote  a  line  to  ac- 
quaint him  of  my  departure  by  the  morning  express 
for  Russia,  stating  that  private  family  matters  required 
my  immediate  presence  in  St.  Petersburg.  I  received 
in  return  a  courteous  note,  in  which  he  expressed  many 
amiable  regrets  that  a  previous  engagement  prevented 
him  from  seeing  me  off.  Having  thus  discharged  what 
I  considered  to  be  a  mere  matter  of  form,  I  began  to  pre- 
pare for  my  long  trip. 

At  ten  o'clock  I  drove  to  the  station,  where  I  found  my 
maid,  my  courier,  and  a  confidential  "  valet  de  chambre  " 
awaiting  me  near  my  private  car.  As  I  entered  it,  I 
was  somewhat  astonished  to  find,  on  the  small  table 
before  the  divan,  a  superb  basket  of  Russian  violets 
fringed  with  lilies-of-the-valley.  No  one  save  my  hus- 
band knew  of  my  departure,  and  this  fragrant  message 
certainly  could  not  have  come  from  him. 

"Who  brought  those  flowers,  Y£gor?"  I  asked  my 
courier,  who  was  arranging  everything  for  my  comfort 
in  the  little  salon  adjacent  to  my  sleeping-room. 

"They  were  handed  to  me  a  few  minutes  ago  by  a 
closely  veiled  lady,"  he  replied,  bowing  low.  Then  he 
added,  "  There  is  a  letter  among  the  flowers." 

260 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

In  an  envelope  I  found  a  card  on  which  the  word 
"  Merci  "  was  written,  evidently  by  the  same  hand  which 
had  penned  the  note  I  had  received  the  night  before. 
Touched  by  this  attention,  I  leaned  out  of  the  window, 
watching  the  snow-covered  streets  as  we  steamed  slowly 
out  of  the  station,  and  speculated  on  the  possible  results 
of  my  unexpected  visit  to  the  land  of  the  Czars. 

Gradually  the  motion  of  the  train  became  more  and 
more  rapid.  Soon  we  were  going  at  full  speed  through 
the  pine  woods  which  lie  like  an  ever-green  belt  around 
the  city.  Very  dark  and  sad  did  the  sombre  firs  appear 
against  the  background  of  snow  in  which  everything 
was  enveloped,  and  very  narrow  the  horizon  looked, 
veiled  by  the  thickly  falling  flakes.  So  dreary  was  the 
outlook  that  I  soon  retreated  from  the  window,  still 
dwelling  on  the  thought  of  the  strange  errand  which  I 
had  undertaken.  In  spite  of  the  horrible  weather,  I  did 
not  stop  at  Warsaw,  but  went  straight  on  to  St.  Peters- 
burg, where  I  arrived  at  length,  rather  worn  out,  but 
in  a  comparatively  hopeful  state  of  mind. 

I  drove  from  the  station  to  the  H6tel  de  TEurope,  where 
a  suite  of  apartments  looking  out  on  the  Newski  Prospekt 
had  been  ordered  by  telegraph  for  me  by  Ye"gor.  I  was 
heartily  glad  to  have  reached  my  destination,  and  I 
fully  enjoyed  the  rest  I  stood  in  so  great  a  need  of  after 
my  hurried  rush  across  the  frozen  plain  of  three  coun- 
tries. 

Never  had  St.  Petersburg  seemed  so  beautiful  to  me 
as  when  I  looked  out  upon  it  next  morning.  Snow  lay 
on  the  domes  and  steeples,  and  swathed  everything 
in  its  fleecy  folds.  The  whole  landscape  was  white  and 
frozen,  as  if  carved  out  of  the  purest  alabaster.  The 
fiery  orb  of  the  Northern  sun  burned  in  the  clear  blue 
sky,  and  the  air  was  as  intoxicating  as  a  draught  of 
champagne.  The  great  city  lying  above  the  frozen 

261 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

waters  of  the  Neva  looked  dream-like,  embedded  in  its 
pure  setting  of  snow,  which  dazzled  the  eye  as  if  the 
whole  land  was  covered  with  diamond-dust. 

Before  breakfast  I  sent  a  short  note  to  Prince  Alexan- 
der D.,  telling  him  of  my  arrival,  and  requesting  him  to 
obtain  for  me  an  audience  from  the  Emperor  during  the 
course  of  the  day.  "Sandy,"  as  Prince  D.  is  called 
by  his  acquaintances,  was  an  old  friend  of  mine,  and  he 
nobly  rose  to  the  occasion  by  promising  me  the  desired 
interview.  I  therefore  set  off  for  Gatchina  shortly  after 
twelve  o'clock,  and,  on  arriving  there,  found  an  imperial 
sleigh  waiting  at  the  station  to  convey  me  to  the  palace. 
The  little  town  of  Gatchina,  nestling  coquettishly  on 
two  shores  of  the  white  lake — a  name  which  seemed 
singularly  befitting  this  winter  season — looked  to  me 
like  an  oasis  in  the  still  and.  solemn  landscape  I  had 
just  traversed. 

The  fine-looking  gendarmes,  in  blue  uniforms  and 
tall  patent-leather  boots,  awoke  many  memories  of  pre- 
vious visits  in  my  mind,  and  not  even  their  forbidding 
countenances  could  abate  the  flow  of  good-temper  and 
high  spirits  which  had  taken  possession  of  me  since  the 
moment  I  had  set  foot  once  more  on  Russian  soil.  There 
was  even  something  exhilarating  in  the  thought  that 
these  conscientious  and  well-drilled  officials  would  be 
truly  deeply  horrified  could  they  guess  that  I  was  here  to 
attempt  the  rescue  of  a  Nihilist  convict  from  the  clutches 
of  the  Czar's  police.  While  the  sleigh  skimmed  along 
on  the  road  to  the  palace,  behind  three  splendid  black 
horses  from  the  Ukraine,  I  could  not  help  laughing  out- 
right as  this  thought  once  more  crossed  my  mind. 

On  we  flew,  passing  the  villa  of  Prince  G.,  whose 
greatest  title  to  everlasting  fame  is  his  having  been  per- 
mitted one  day  to  take  a  plunge  in  the  bath-tub  which 
his  Majesty  had  just  vacated,  to  secure  which  inestima- 

262 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

ble  favor  he  presented  the  Czar's  valet  with  two  thousand 
rubles.  If  this  is  not  loyalty;  what  ought  it  to  be  called, 
although,  myself,  I  have  always  thought  it  rather  a 
revolting  kind  of  loyalty,  and  I  highly  approve  of  the 
Emperor's  remark  to  Prince  G.,  when  his  Majesty 
heard  of  this  piece  touching  of  hero-worship. 

"You  are  a  good  fellow,"  said  the  monarch,  laughing 
heartily,  "but  what  a  fool !" 

I  was  still  thinking  of  this  ridiculous  episode,  when 
we  glided  through  the  gates  of  the  magnificent  park 
which  surrounds  the  castle.  Every  tree,  every  branch 
were  encased  in  a  sheet  of  glittering  ice,  like  some  en- 
chanted legendary  forest,  and  the  groups  of  Siberian 
arolla  and  giant  pines  standing  on  both  sides  of  the 
building  sparkled  like  huge  emeralds  in  a  setting  of 
silver. 

As  the  sleigh  drew  up  before  the  steps  of  the  palace, 
two  chevalier-guards,  with  their  white  uniforms  and 
eagle-crested  helmets  shining  gloriously  in  the  sun, 
advanced  to  meet  me,  followed  by  the  Emperor's  aide- 
de-camp,  Count  0.  A  few  minutes  later  I  was  in  the 
august  presence  of  the  Great  White  Czar  himself. 

After  the  usual  preliminary  compliments  on  both  sides, 
I  launched  into  a  vivid  recital  of  the  dramatic  story 
which  had  brought  me  all  this  distance.  We  were  alone 
in  the  great  library,  which  was  his  Majesty's  favorite 
apartment,  and  I  spoke  in  all  confidence  and  ease  to  the 
sovereign  who  had  known  me  since  childhood. 

All  the  eloquence  I  could  summon  was  exercised  by 
me  in  pleading  the  cause  of  Fe"dor  and  of  his  poor  young 
wife,  but  I  observed  that,  as  I  went  on,  the  Emperor's 
face  gradually  grew  grave  and  stern.  When  at  last 
I  stopped,  out  of  sheer  exhaustion,  Alexander  said, 
coldly : 

"You  ask  an  almost  impossible  thing,  Muzzi.  I  re- 

263 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

member  the  affair  perfectly  well.  Twelve  years  ago 
that  girl's  father  was  implicated  in  a  very  serious  Nihil- 
istic conspiracy,  and  the  young  man  for  whom  you 
plead  so  warmly  has,  I  am  certain,  not  been  condemned 
unjustly.  Any  one  but  you,  my  dear  child,"  continued 
the  Emperor,  in  a  softened  tone,  "  coming  to  me  on  such 
an  errand  would  meet,  I  am  afraid,  with  a  curt  and 
definite  refusal/' 

Quite  undaunted  by  this  discouraging  beginning,  I 
jumped  up  from  the  big  chair  on  which  I  had  been  sit- 
ting, exclaiming : 

"Sire,  you  cannot  refuse  to  investigate  this  matter 
personally,  at  my  earnest  request.  The  man  swears 
that  he  is  innocent,  and  I  may  add  that  certainly  he 
would  not  be  the  first  who  has  suffered  an  unjust  condem- 
nation at  the  hands  of  the  police  authorities  here  or 
elsewhere." 

"These  are  big  words,  and  not  very  seemly  in  the 
mouth  of  a  lady  who  is  half  a  Russian  herself.  I  do 
not  think  that  I  can  do  anything  for  your  protege." 

"But  you  must  do  something,  Sire,"  cried  I,  now 
quite  beside  myself. 

"  Must  ?"  said  the  autocrat,  drawing  himself  up  and 
gazing  at  me  with  rising  anger. 

For  a  moment  we  looked  at  each  other  unflinchingly. 
I  was  angry,  and  scarcely  cared  whether  the  Emperor 
noticed  it  or  not,  but  suddenly  I  was  struck  by  the  lu- 
dicrousness  of  my  thus  laying  down  the  law  to  the 
omnipotent  ruler  of  "All  the  Russias,"  before  whom 
millions  of  human  creatures  trembled,  and  I  burst  out 
laughing.  This  was  too  much  for  my  imperial  host, 
and  he  could  not  repress  a  smile. 

"  I  am  but  a  poor  diplomat,"  said  I,  when  I  had  recov- 
ered sufficient  composure  to  speak,  "  and  not  at  all  ac- 
customed to  asking  favors."  Then,  stepping  towards 

264 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

the  Czar  and  putting  my  hand  on  his  arm,  I  looked  up 
in  his  kindly  face,  and  added,  pleadingly :  "  I  am  very 
anxious  to  save  that  man,  and  I  have  always  been 
treated  so  kindly  by  your  Majesty  that  I  have  no  fear 
of  my  entreaties  being  absolutely  repulsed." 

Again  the  Emperor  smiled,  and  taking  my  hand  in 
his  own,  he  raised  it  to  his  lips.  "That's  better,"  said 
he,  affectionately.  "  Alas !  I  am  only  too  soft-hearted 
myself,  and  always  anxious,  I  hope,  to  do  what  is  right. 
I  shall  inquire  into  the  matter  at  once;  you  have  gained 
your  point  so  far,  and  if  the  man's  innocence  can  be 
proved  I  promise  you  that  justice  will  be  done  to  him." 

I  breathed  a  sigh  of  relief. 

"  However,"  continued  the  Emperor,  "  I  will  do  this, 
solely  and  uniquely,  because  it  is  you  who  ask  it.  I 
have  no  pity  for  those  who  are  tainted,  be  it  ever  so 
slightly,  with  Nihilistic  tendencies.  Russia  is  becom- 
ing more  and  more  honeycombed  every  day  with  Nihil- 
ism; revolutionary  principles  are  spreading  in  the 
army  and  in  the  navy,  and  must  be  stopped.  Remem- 
ber, I  am  not  talking  now  as  Czar,  but  as  a  simple  Rus- 
sian citizen.  Nihilism  may  originally  have  sprung 
from  a  desire  to  put  an  end  to  autocracy  in  Russia,  but 
to-day  it  has  become  a  mere  levelling  theory,  such  as 
that  which  inspired  the  atrocities  of  the  Paris  Com- 
mune." 

"Nihilists  ought  to  be  weary  of  their  unceasing  and 
vain  efforts,"  said  I,  "for  their  plots  and  plans  have 
met  until  now  with  but  indifferent  success." 

"Indifferent,  eh?"  he  replied,  with  a  bitter  smile. 
"In  more  than  one  case  they  might  be  satisfied  with 
the  harm  they  have  done.  The  liberal  principles 
about  which  there  is  so  much  talk  now  are  only  a  purely 
euphonic  appellation  for  anarchy,  communism,  or  some 
such  other  empty  Utopian  ideal.  Read  the  Samow- 

265 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

praveline  Organ  Sotsialistoff  Revolutsioneroff  [Self- 
Government  Organ  of  the  Social  Revolutionists],  and 
you  will  see  whether  what  I  am  saying  is  true." 

"It  is  so  sad/'  I  could  not  help  saying,  "that  severity 
to  the  culprits  should  entail  so  much  suffering  to  in- 
nocent beings.  I  abhor  Nihilists,  and  yet  what  other 
Utopia  has  ever  begotten  such  unwavering  and  heroic 
sacrifice,  such  uncomplaining  surrender  of  youth, wealth, 
power,  enjoyment  of  life,  to  a  lost  cause,  to  a  mere  empty 
idea?  What  might  be  accomplished  if  all  this  enormous 
force,  this  senseless  heroism,  were  directed  in  the  right 
channel,  instead  of  being  wasted  in  rolling  the  rock  of 
revolution  up  a  steep  hill,  whence  it  must  ever  roll  back, 
crushing  those  who  futilely  attempt  to  plant  it  on  the 
summit  of  our  modern  civilization?" 

"Believe  me,"  murmured  Alexander,  wearily,  "noth- 
ing will  avail  but  to  persistently  crush  every  head  of  the 
hydra,  every  tentacle  of  the  all-devouring  octopus  which 
is  destroying  the  country.  Leniency  will  not  answer; 
in  severity  lies  the  only  salvation." 

The  Czar  had  risen  from  the  seat  which  he  had  oc- 
cupied before  his  writing-desk  during  the  latter  part  of 
our  conversation,  and  was  now  striding  up  and  down 
the  long  room,  with  knitted  brows  and  compressed  lips. 
I  felt  that  once  more  my  protlg^'s  cause  was  hanging 
in  the  balance,  and,  anxious  to  create  a  diversion  in 
order  to  change  the  course  of  the  Emperor's  thoughts,  I 
bent  forward  to  caress  a  gigantic  bloodhound  lying  at 
full  length  on  the  ermine  rug  before  the  writing-table. 
With  the  mobility  of  mood  which  characterized  him,  the 
Czar  wheeled  round,  and,  gazing  almost  tenderly  at  this 
formidable- looking  pet,  murmured : 

"  Ah,  yes !  I  agree  with  the  clever  statesman  who  said 
that  what  he  preferred  in  mankind  was  the  dog ;  there 
at  least  we  find  loyalty  and  fidelity  without  the  planning 

266 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

and  plotting  you  were  talking  about  just  now.  But 
enough  of  this.  I  will  keep  my  word  to  you,  and  in  a 
few  days  I  may  be  able  to  put  before  you  all  the  cir- 
cumstances of  what  you  call  an  arbitrary  condemna- 
ton.  In  the  meanwhile,  I  hope  that  you  will  consent  to 
be  my  guest  and  the  Empress's  at  Gatchina.  We  can- 
not allow  you  to  remain  at  the  H6tel  de  1'Europe,  and 
you  will  surely  not  refuse  us  the  all-too-rare  pleasure 
of  your  presence." 

To  this,  of  course,  I  could  answer  only  with  profuse 
thanks.  I  felt  intensely  grateful  to  the  Emperor  for  his 
kindness.  I  told  him  so,  and  was  glad  to  see  the  heavy 
cloud  which  had  hung  about  his  brow  pass  off  and  to 
notice  that  he  was  smiling  cheerfully  again  when  I 
left  him  to  occupy  the  suite  of  apartments  which  had 
been  mine  during  previous  sojourns  in  Gatchina. 

The  next  few  days  consisted  of  a  series  of  pleasures, 
among  which  was  a  great  ball  at  the  Winter  Palace. 
I  have  always  loved  the  Winter  Palace  fetes.  They 
seem  to  be  more  imposing  in  their  magnificence  than 
those  given  at  any  other  European  court.  The  entire 
suite  of  state  apartments  had  been  thrown  open  for  the 
occasion,  and  were  decorated  with  banks  and  mounds 
of  violets,  which  filled  even  these  enormous  rooms  with 
exquisite  fragrance.  As  I  danced  in  the  Quadrille 
d'Honneur  with  the  Czar,  he  whispered  to  me : 

"Do  not  get  impatient,  Muzzi;  I  have  set  General 
G."  (the  chief  of  police)  "at  work  for  you,  and  we 
shall  soon  be  able  to  tell  you  whether  your  prote"g6  de- 
served his  fate  or  not,  or  if  there  is  any  loop-hole  of 
escape  for  him." 

The  ever-changing  figures  of  the  quadrille  prevented 
me  from  answering  in  words,  but  I  gave  the  Czar  a  look 
and  a  smile  of  gratitude.  Later  in  the  evening  I  met 
General  G.  face  to  face.  I  was  walking  through  St. 

267 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A    PRINCESS 

George's  Hall,  towards  the  Winter  Garden,  with  Grand- 
Duke  V.,  and  I  smiled  as  bewitchingly  as  possible  on 
the  great  man,  who  flattened  himself  against  the  wall 
with  true  military  precision  and  deference  as  we 
approached. 

"Ah,  general,"  laughed  the  Grand -Duke;  "active 
as  usual  ?  I  see  you  grow  younger  with  every  passing 
year.  I  wish  it  were  the  same  with  me." 

"Your  Imperial  Highness  has  no  cause  for  com- 
plaint," replied  the  delighted  official.  "But  as  for  me," 
he  continued,  with  an  ominous  shake  of  the  head,  "  I 
have  cause  to  be  watchful  and  active.  Heaven  knows  I 
have."  Resolved  on  winning  his  heart,  I  said,  sweetly : 

"  Like  Atlas's,  your  burden  is  heavy,  general ;  but, 
like  this  strong  and  worthy  personage,  you  carry  it 
securely  and  nobly." 

Was  it  reproach  which  I  saw  glimmering  in  the  gen- 
eral's eyes?  It  may  be  that  only  my  conscience  pricked 
me  for  having  made  the  said  burden  rather  heavier  than 
usual  by  my  inroads  on  his  domain,  yet,  as  we  passed  on, 
I  thought  that  I  heard  him  sigh  wearily,  as  if  he  were  a 
very  tired  Atlas,  indeed,  on  that  particular  night.  Poor 
General  G.,  worthy  man  as  he  undoubtedly  was,  I 
could  have  shaken  him  for  not  expediting  matters 
more  swiftly.  I  thought  unceasingly  of  the  broken- 
hearted girl  who  was  so  anxiously  awaiting  tidings  of 
her  young  husband,  and  also  of  the  miserable  convict 
who,  foot-sore  and  desparing,  was  even  now  being 
hustled  towards  the  semi-arctic  and  desolate  wilds  of 
Siberia,  while  here  all  was  light  and  joy,  comfort  and 
lavish  luxury.  I  almost  felt  angry  with  myself  for  the 
careless,  happy  life  I  was  leading,  when  I  compared  it 
with  their  agony,  and  yet  more  so  for  my  unjust  vexa- 
tion at  the  delay  which  was  so  unavoidable  in  the  in- 
vestigation of  so  intricate  a  case. 

268 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

Another  week  went  by,  and  still  I  obtained  no  cer- 
tainty as  to  Fe"dor's  chances.  I  could  do  nothing  to 
hasten  the  proceedings,  for  I  feared  by  a  word  to  spoil 
ray  case  or  to  worry  the  Czar,  who  was  in  one  of  his 
periodical  blue  moods. 

At  last,  one  morning,  as  I  was  just  leaving  my  apart- 
ments, Aide-de-Camp  Baron  E.  brought  me  a  mes- 
sage, requesting  my  presence  in  the  sovereign's  study. 
Preceded  by  the  young  officer,  I  made  my  way  through 
the  long  suite  of  rooms  leading  to  Alexander's  private 
chancellerie.  Here  I  found  the  Emperor  seated  before  a 
table  covered  with  papers.  He  was  in  earnest  conver- 
sation with  the  chief  of  police,  whose  careworn  features 
wore  an  expression  of  deep  concern. 

As  I  entered,  both  men  rose  to  their  feet,  and  the 
Czar,  taking  me  affectionately  by  the  hand,  led  me  to 
an  ottoman  beside  his  desk : 

"  My  dear  child,"  said  he,  in  a  voice  which  I  noticed 
was  slightly  shaking,  "we  have  carefully  sifted  the 
affair  which  has  brought  you  here,  and  I  have  come  to 
the  conclusion  that  the  man  has  been  treated  unfairly, 
unjustly."  Here  he  glanced  at  the  chief  of  police,  who 
literally  shrank  before  his  gaze.  "It  would  take  too 
long  to  enter  into  the  details  of  this  disgraceful  busi- 
ness," continued  the  sovereign,  impatiently;  "suffice  it 
to  state  that  there  has  been  foul  play,  that,  even  had  the 
man  been  guilty,  the  condemnation  ought  not  to  have 
been  so  hurriedly  pronounced,  and  that,  as  he  was  able 
to  give,  and  gave  absolute  proof  of  his  innocence,  the 
sentence  passed  upon  him  was  an  iniquity  for  which 
the  responsible  persons  therein  implicated  will  suffer." 

So  exasperated  did  the  Emperor  appear  to  be,  that 
I  did  not  venture  to  speak  a  word  in  reply.  The  un- 
fortunate chief  of  police,  who  was  visibly  shaking  in  his 
boots,  and  who  was  very  pale  under  his  tanned  skin, 

269 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

was  unable  to  contain  himself  any  longer,  and  ex- 
claimed, hoarsely: 

"  Your  Majesty  does  not,  I  hope,  hold  me  responsible 
for  a  crime  committed  by  a  person  or  persons  entirely 
removed  from  my  jurisdiction.  I  have — " 

"  There  ought  to  be  nothing  beyond  your  jurisdiction 
within  the  boundaries  of  the  empire,  general/'  inter- 
rupted the  Emperor.  "However,  I  do  not  hold  you 
responsible  for  the  disgraceful  state  of  things  which 
renders  it  possible  for  a  colonel  to  take  so  brutal  and  mer- 
ciless a  revenge  on  an  innocent  man,  because  the  latter 
happens  to  be  under  his  orders  and  to  have  aroused  his 
jealousy.  The  chief  occupation  and  desire  of  my  en- 
tourage is,  I  see,  to  throw  dust  in  my  eyes,  so  as  to  blind 
me  to  the  arbitrary  doings  of  wretches  like  Colonel 
X.  But  this  has  been  a  good  lesson,  and  I  shall  be 
ever  grateful  to  you,"  he  added,  turning  to  me,  "for 
having  been  the  means  of  throwing  light  on  the 
abuses  perpetrated  in  my  name.  All  this  must  and 
will  change." 

The  silence  which  followed  was  broken  only  by  the 
monotonous  ticking  of  the  great  malachite  clock  on  the 
high  mantel-piece.  The  general  stood  motionless,  bit- 
ing his  heavy  mustache,  and  I  mechanically  pulled  to 
pieces  the  knot  of  crimson  roses  fastened  among  the  laces 
of  my  breakfast-gown.  Alexander  had  sunk  into  the 
great  arm-chair  before  his  writing-table,  and  his  light- 
blue  eyes  were  fixed  in  deep  reverie  on  the  full-length 
picture  of  his  murdered  father  hanging  above  it.  Con- 
scious that  the  position,  to  say  the  least,  was  becoming 
remarkably  awkward,  I  plucked  up  spirit,  and,  softly 
gliding  to  Alexander's  side,  I  half  knelt  beside  him, 
saying,  with  much  emotion : 

"I  am  grateful  to  you,  Sire — I  can  never  say  how 
grateful — for  all  the  trouble  you  have  taken  on  my 

270 


THE  TRIBULATIONS    OF  A  PRINCESS 

behalf.  But  I  am  also  deeply  pained  to  have  added  to 
your  Majesty's  many  cares." 

I  am  not  ashamed  to  say  that  the  expression  of  suffer- 
ing which  lingered  in  the  Czar's  eyes  brought  tears  to 
my  own.  It  seemed  so  sad  that  this  just  and  good  man, 
whose  power  was  practically  unlimited,  should  find  out 
how  powerless  he  really  was  to  prevent  injustice  and 
to  carry  out  his  noble  designs.  With  a  somewhat 
mournful  but  very  kind  smile,  which  softened  his  en- 
tire countenance,  he  pushed  back  the  tangle  of  curls 
from  my  forehead,  and,  gazing  into  my  eyes  he  mur- 
mured : 

"Do  not  be  sorry,  my  child;  you  have  done  a  very 
noble  deed,  and  it  is  I  who  am  grateful  to  you  for  the 
pluck  you  have  shown.  General  G.  will  see  that  the 
necessary  papers  are  prepared  at  once,  and  that  the 
man  whom  you  have  saved  from  so  iniquitous  a  fate  re- 
ceives a  free  pardon.  Later  I  will  look  to  it  personally 
that  he  is  indemnified  and  rehabilitated,  if  such  a  thing 
be  possible,  for  all  that  he  has  so  unjustly  suffered." 

The  general,  at  a  sign  of  dismissal  from  his  imperial 
master,  backed  towards  the  door,  and,  with  a  military 
salute  of  punctilious  correctness,  disappeared  beyond 
the  portieres  of  the  adjoining  hall. 

Left  alone  with  the  Czar,  I  once  more  attempted  to 
express  my  heartfelt  thanks  to  him,  but  he  silenced  me 
at  once,  and  we  fell  to  discussing  the  means  of  bring- 
ing F6dor  back  to  St.  Petersburg  without  unnecessary 
delay.  Over  two  hours'  conversation  brought  me  to 
the  conclusion  that  this  would  not  be  such  an  easy 
matter  as  I  at  first  had  believed  it  to  be. 

I  knew  without  being  told  so  that  all  Russian  officials 
thoroughly  loyal  to  the  crown  have  so  great  and  nat- 
ural a  horror  for  Nihilists  that  whoever  would  be  in- 
trusted with  the  task  of  pursuing  the  convoy  of  prisoners, 

271 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

among  which  was  Nadeje's  husband,  would  display  but 
little  enthusiasm  and  ardor  in  this  fatiguing,  not  to  say 
dangerous,  undertaking. 

To  cross  part  of  Siberia  in  mid- winter  is  never  a  pleas- 
ant or  an  easy  thing,  and  to  do  so  in  order  to  rescue 
one  of  the  abhorred  Nihilists  would  be  particularly 
painful  and  distasteful.  It  was  unlikely  that  much 
credence  would  be  placed  in  the  man's  innocence,  and 
was  it  not  more  probable  that  his  pardon  would  be  re- 
garded as  an  act  of  favoritism,  due  to  a  powerful  inter- 
cession with  the  Czar.  The  convoy  of  prisoners  had  by 
this  time  certainly  reached  the  plains,  which  precede 
the  chain  of  the  Ural  Mountains,  its  destination  being 
some  mining  district  far  beyond  Ekaterinburg,  and  it 
would  take  both  time  and  numberless  hardships  to 
overtake  it  in  this  season.  I  begged  his  Majesty  to  al- 
low my  courier,  Ye"gor  Nikolai'tch,  an  intelligent  man, 
in  the  service  of  my  family  for  many  years,  to  be  in- 
trusted with  this  confidential  mission,  and  this  request 
was  immediately  granted. 

Before  I  left  the  Czar,  however,  I  had  thoroughly  de- 
cided to  go  myself.  Of  course  I  did  not  mention  this 
hare-brained  scheme  to  the  Emperor,  who  would  never 
have  allowed  it.  But  during  the  entire  day  I  turned  over 
in  my  head  the  means  of  leaving  St.  Petersburg  for 
Siberia  without  my  plans  being  discovered. 

The  spirit  of  adventure  was  strong  in  me  in  those 
days.  Moreover,  I  had  an  intuition  that,  left  to  the 
mercy  of  officialdom,  F6dor  would  not  be  rescued  for  a 
long  time  to  come,  if  he  were  ever  rescued  at  all. 

Red-tapeism  is  more  prevalent  in  Russia  than  any- 
where else,  and  if  the  free  pardon  I  had  obtained  for  the 
young  officer  was  sent  officially  and  transmitted  by  offi- 
cials, it  would  be  a  crawling  business  at  best,  whereas 
I,  once  in  possession  of  the  papers  granting  him  his 

272 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

liberty  and  of  a  safe-conduct  signed  by  the  Emperor, 
could — money  being  no  object  to  me — reach  him  in  a 
comparatively  short  time.  That  night  I  summoned 
Y6gor,  and  made  a  clean  breast  of  my  project  to  the 
faithful  fellow. 

He  was  at  first  absolutely  horrified,  and  entreated 
me  to  abandon  the  idea  of  attempting  so  difficult  and 
fatiguing  a  journey  at  such  a  time  of  the  year ;  but,  hav- 
ing known  me  from  a  child,  he  soon  saw  that  nothing 
would  shake  my  determination,  and,  good  fellow  that  he 
was,  he  immediately  began  to  discuss  with  me  the  best 
manner  of  putting  my  plans  into  immediate  execution. 

"Listen  to  me,  Ye"gor,"  said  I,  "this  is  what  I  am 
going  to  do :  I  shall  announce  to-morrow  to  their  Majes- 
ties that  I  intend  to  leave  St.  Petersburg  on  the  next  day 
but  one.  And  I  shall  do  so — I'll  have  to,  you  see,  for  I 
shall  certainly  be  taken  in  great  pomp  to  the  station — 
worse  luck!  At  luga  you  and  I  will  leave  the  train, 
letting  the  maid  and  valet  pursue  their  way  home  alone, 
while  we  shall  return  here  and  from  thence  proceed 
to  Moscow,  Kazan,  Perin,  and  then  to  Ekaterinburg 
without  a  moment's  delay.  I  am  going  to  leave  letters 
for  the  Emperor  and  Empress  to  be  delivered  to  them 
two  days  after  my  departure,  explaining  my  reasons 
for  going  to  Siberia.  By  that  time  I  shall  be  so  far  out 
of  reach  that  matters  will  have  to  be  allowed  to  take 
their  course." 

Here  Ye"gor  interrupted  me  respectfully  but  firmly: 
"  The  Emperor  will  never  forgive  this,"  said  he,  mourn- 
fully. 

"Yes,  he  will.  Of  course  he  will  be  angry  at  first, 
but  ultimately  he  will  understand  my  motives,  and  he 
is  too  noble -hearted  not  to  sympathize  with  my  rea- 
sons for  doing  this.  Besides,  there  is  nothing  so  very 
formidable  in  what  I  am  going  to  do.  The  greater  part 
s  273 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

of  the  trip  will  be  made  by  train,  and  it  is  only  when 
we  have  ascertained  the  exact  route  taken  by  the  con- 
voy that  we  shall  be  forced  to  take  to  a  kibitka  [half-cov- 
ered sledge]  in  order  to  overtake  it." 

"  May  I  venture  to  point  out  the  difficulties  and  dan- 
gers of  a  journey  in  a  kibitka  on  the  frozen  plains  of 
Siberia?"  suggested  Y£gor,  much  distressed. 

"You  may, if  it  please  you,"  I  said,  laughingly,  "but 
I  do  not  wish  to  hear  any  croaking ;  I  am  perfectly  healthy 
and  strong,  well  used  to  out-door  exposure,  afraid  of 
nothing,  and,  what's  more,  I  am  absolutely  resolved,  and 
nothing  you  can  say  will  alter  my  decision.  So  enough 
of  all  this.  To-morrow  you  can  buy  for  me  and  for 
yourself  all  the  fur-lined  garments,  cordials,  medicines, 
rugs,  arms,  and  even  surgical  instruments  your  fore- 
thought may  suggest.  See  to  it  that  all  we  need  is 
packed  up  and  left  at  the  H6tel  de  France,  in  the  Bol- 
shaya"  Morskayd  Street,  under  your  own  name,  for  it  is 
there  that  we  shall  come  on  our  return  to  St.  Peters- 
burg, and  from  thence  that  we  shall  start  for  the  North. 
And  now,  good-night,  Y6gor;  pleasant  dreams  to  you," 
I  concluded,  with  another  burst  of  unconquerable  mer- 
riment, for  the  poor  fellow's  woe-begone  countenance 
was  irresistibly  funny  to  me. 

When  he  had  gone,  I  sat  down  by  the  fire  and  fell  into 
one  of  my  customary  deep  reveries,  which  was,  however, 
rather  disagreeably  interrupted  by  my  suddenly  no- 
ticing that  the  long  train  of  my  white  velvet  court-dress, 
which  had,  unheeded  by  me,  lain  in  too  close  a  contact 
with  the  smouldering  embers,  was  slowly  beginning  to 
burn.  Crushing  it  beneath  my  foot,  I  said  to  myself, 
gayly,  that  this  was  a  good  omen,  for  had  I  worn  on  that 
particular  occasion  a  frock  of  lighter  texture  there  would 
surely  have  been  a  sudden  and  most  unwelcome  end  to 
all  my  philanthropic  dreams  and  to  myself  as  well. 

274 


CHAPTER  XVI 

"  We  freeze,  we  starve,  we  feel 
The  anguish  in  our  breast, 
Hard  is  our  lot,  but  yet 

With  freedom  we  are  blest!" 

SUCCESS  crowned  my  departure  from  St.  Petersburg, 
as  I  knew  that  it  would,  and  I  started  on  my  Siberian 
trip  with  a  light  heart  and  a  hopeful  mind.  The  papers 
which  I  carried  not  only  included  all  the  documents 
concerning  the  delivery  of  my  convict — as  I  began  to 
call  him — into  the  hands  of  one  Y6gor  Nikolai'tch  Ful6w, 
but  also  a  safe-conduct  for  the  said  Ye"gor  and  party, 
charging  all  authorities  to  protect  and  aid  them  on 
their  journey. 

Of  the  railway  portion  of  our  voyage  little  need  be 
said.  It  was  what  all  such  journeys  are,  rendered  more 
trying  at  that  season  by  the  extreme  severity  of  the 
weather  and  by  the  hurry  with  which  we  had  to  proceed. 
I  must,  however,  admit  that  this  precipitation  had  its 
advantages,  as  it  spared  us  any  lengthy  stay  in  the 
filthy  inns  which  are  the  only  substitutes  to  be 
found  on  the  Siberian  road  for  hotels.  Most  towns  on 
the  way  from  Moscow  to  Perin  have  a  desolate  appear- 
ance, the  streets  are  narrow  and  absolutely  innocent  of 
any  kind  of  pavement,  the  wooden  houses  look  dingy, 
dreary,  dismantled,  with  a  general  air  of  neglect  and 
hopelessness  about  them  very  depressing  to  witness, 
while  the  flatness  of  the  landscape,  broken  here  and 
there  by  clumps  of  dwarf  willows,  showing  like  inky 
marks  against  the  blinding  whiteness  of  the  snow- 

275 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

covered  steppe,  is  most  bewildering  to  the  unaccustomed 
eye. 

Ye"gor  worked  wonders  for  me,  and  managed  to 
spare  me  many  petty  annoyances  and  also  many  of 
the  privations  unavoidable  under  such  unpropitious 
circumstances.  But  all  his  care  could  not  make  those 
railways  anything  but  atrocious,  uncomfortable,  and 
strange  jolts,  and  the  mysterious  noises  with  which 
their  onward  progress  was  accompanied  is  not  easily 
forgotten  when  once  experienced.  By  a  judicious  men- 
tion of  my  "  lofty  rank,"  of  my  intimacy  with  the  im- 
perial family,  and  by  a  well-advised  exhibition  of  pass- 
ports, my  diplomatic  courier  secured  for  me  the  most 
distinguished  "consideration  and  respect  from  the  au- 
thorities wherever  we  went — a  fact  which  greatly  con- 
tributed to  make  my  lot  a  comparatively  pleasant  one. 
Moreover,  employe's  and  chiefs  alike  soon  found  out, 
too,  that  gold  glided  easily  through  my  fingers,  and 
that  it  was  to  their  interest  to  be  obliging.  So  that  I 
had  no  reason  to  complain  of  any  want  of  empressement. 
The  three  Cossacks  who  had  been  appointed  as  Yegor's 
escort  were  useful,  and  in  spite  of  their  forbidding  aspect 
showed  so  much  good  temper  that  during  the  first  part 
of  our  journey  they  were  invaluable  to  me.  I  christened 
them  Og,  Gog,  and  Magog,  for  they  were  the  tallest 
Cossacks  I  have  ever  seen,  and  their  bearded  and  grim 
countenances  reminded  me  vividly  of  Cruikshank's  por- 
traits of  the  three  heroes  of  the  Tower  of  London. 

As  we  neared  the  Ural  the  temperature  became  al- 
most unbearable,  the  cold  was  piercing,  and  the  softly 
descending,  feathery  snow-flakes  froze  as  they  fell.  A 
tourmente  during  the  crossing  of  the  mountains  was  all 
we  needed  to  make  things  unendurably  lively,  and  we 
got  it  with  a  vengeance!  The  roaring  wind  blew  the 
snow  in  whistling  clouds,  and  the  heavens  seemed  to  open 

276 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

to  give  passage  to  so  dense  a  downpour  that  we  felt  as 
if  we  were  being  buried  alive  under  icy  winding-sheets. 

When  we  reached  Ekaterinburg,  it  seemed  to  me  as 
if  I  had  been  travelling  for  years,  and  I  was  glad  to 
stop  there  in  order  to  make  inquiries  about  the  convoy 
of  convicts  we  were  pursuing. 

We  put  up  at  the  H6tel  Plotinkof.  Now,  guide- 
books go  quite  out  of  their  way  to  prove  to  the  guileless 
traveller  that  this  is  a  very  good  hostelry,  provided  with 
every  modern  improvement,  and  it  may  be  owing  to  my 
exaggerated  fastidiousness  that  I  was  so  disappointed 
with  it.  I  must  add,  however,  that  the  most  conscien- 
tious among  these  guide-books  mention  that  insect- 
powder  is  a  necessary  armament  for  the  guests  of  the 
Plotinkof!  So  I  should  think;  for  the  fleet-footed 
inmates  of  the  bedrooms  there,  whose  generic  names  I 
should  blush  to  record,  are  the  most  bloodthirsty  para- 
sites which  it  has  ever  been  my  unhappy  luck  to  en- 
counter. Woe  be  to  the  thin-skinned  traveller  in  these 
regions,  for  his  peace  of  mind  and  body  stands  but  an 
unfair  chance  against  the  manslaughtering  exploits  of 
a  sportive  army  which  overwhelms  him  with  its  indelicate 
attentions,  and  pesters  him  with  a  zeal  and  energy  quite 
beyond  all  praise  or  description. 

On  the  night  of  my  arrival  I  hit  upon  a  Machiavellian 
plan  in  order  to  obtain  a  little  rest.  Piling  my  fur  rugs 
on  the  floor  in  front  of  the  ponderous  stove  which  heated 
the  room,  I  placed  four  lighted  candles  at  the  four  cor- 
ners of  this  improvised  couch.  It  appears  that— well, 
that  those  many-legged  gentry  I  was  just  talking  about 
are  afraid  of  a  bright  light  and  dislike  strong  perfumes. 
This  being  given,  with  the  help  of  a  pint  or  so  of  ex- 
tract of  verbena,  I  succeeded  in  sleeping  undisturbed 
for  several  hours.  The  burning  candles  gave  my  in- 
stallation a  dismal  resemblance  to  a  catafalque,  a  re- 

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THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

semblance  which  was  not  diminished  by  the  sombre 
blue-black  furs  on  which  I  reclined,  and  which  might 
have  alarmed  and  painfully  impressed  a  person  of  ner- 
vous temperament.  I,  however,  preserved  my  equa- 
nimity and  slept  very  soundly. 

When,  the  next  morning,  the  waiter  came  in  with  the 
breakfast-tray,  and  saw  that  I  had  not  slept  in  the  crim- 
son-curtained bed,  so  elaborately  prepared  for  me,  his 
ill-concealed  indignation  was  more  than  human  gravity 
could  bear.  He  informed  me  that  this  was  the  "Im- 
perial suite,"  and  even  volunteered  a  long  explanation 
from  which  I  gathered  that  the  sheets  were  changed 
almost  after  every  traveller  1  Awed  by  so  luxurious 
a  precaution,  I  looked  helplessly  at  the  man,  who  strode 
majestically  out  of  the  room,  sustained  by  the  integrity 
of  his  conscience. 

This  one  instance  of  Siberian  hotel  life  will  suffice  to 
give  a  general  idea  of  what  those  Northern  inns  were  at 
the  time  when  I  honored  them  with  my  patronage.  The 
Plotinkof  was  one  of  the  best,  and  there  were  many 
worse.  They  are,  as  a  rule,  one-storied  log-buildings, 
presenting  nothing  that  is  particularly  interesting  or 
nice  to  the  eye,  and  very  uncomfortable  withal.  The 
food  is  coarse  and  bad  in  all  cases,  and  tea  is  about  the 
only  decent  thing  one  may  obtain  in  those  distant  lati- 
tudes. 

The  time  had  now  come  for  us  to  resort  to  kibitkas 
in  order  to  proceed  on  our  journey,  if  we  wished  to  catch 
up  with  the  marching  party  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  con- 
victs, among  which  I  hoped  to  find  my  prote"g6.  I  fore- 
saw that  we  would  have  to  rough  it,  even  more  than  I  had 
expected,  for  the  weather  had  become  decidedly  worse 
than  ever.  The  sky  was  dark,  almost  purple,  and  when 
the  sun  condescended  to  put  in  an  appearance  it  afford- 
ed us  absolutely  no  heat,  and  its  cold  rays  paled  before 

278 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

the  dazzling  whiteness  of  the  snow  which  covered  the 
limitless  plains. 

I  shall  never  forget  the  morning  when  we  bade  good- 
bye to  all  apparent  vestiges  of  civilization.  Yegor  and  I 
climbed  into  our  kibitka,  and  set  out  with  a  troika  of 
strong  ahd  enduring  post-horses  towards  an  unknown 
destination.  It  was  not  without  decided  misgivings 
that  I  contemplated  what  lay  before  us,  and  yet,  having 
now  gone  so  far,  I  was  anxious  to  proceed  as  soon  as 
possible.  Ye"gor,  who  until  then  had  forborne  from 
admonishing  me  on  what,  to  judge  by  his  looks,  he 
lamented  inwardly  as  my  unpardonable  recklessness, 
shook  his  head  ominously  as  the  horses,  rattling  the 
numerous  bells  on  their  arched  collars,  started  on  their 
way,  and  even  Og,  Gog,  and  Magog  contemplated  me 
with  a  severe  and  quite  withering  expression  of  blame. 

I  might  as  well  acknowledge  that,  as  I  began  to  taste 
the  bitterness  of  the  icy  air  of  the  steppe,  I  could  not 
wonder  at  this,  and  I  drew  my  thick  furs  about  me  with 
an  unwonted  feeling  of  anxiety.  The  temperature  was 
something  awful — forty-eight  degrees  below  zero — the 
horses  were  almost  hidden  from  our  view  by  the  thick 
steam  which  rose  from  their  bodies,  and  a  cloud  of  frozen 
moisture  filled  the  atmosphere.  All  my  usual  buoyancy 
could  not  prevent  me  from  suffering  from  the  cold,  but  I 
was  far  too  stubborn  to  acknowledge  it;  and  when  we 
stopped  at  the  post-stations  to  change  horses,  I  assumed 
a  cheerful  mien,  with  the  fallacious  hopes  of  misleading 
the  watchful  eye  of  poor  Y6gor.  Even  the  burning-hot 
tea  swallowed  on  these  occasions  did  not  warm  us  up, 
and  as  hour  followed  hour  our  tortures  steadily  in- 
creased. 

One  of  the  most  unbearable  sensations  we  went 
through  was  the  terrible  shaking  and  jolting  of  the 
kibitka.  Our  road  was  cut  up  with  deep  furrows,  little 

279 


THE   TRIBULATIONS  OF  A  PRINCESS 

hills  and  little  valleys  of  hardened  snow,  and  the  sledge, 
as  it  crossed  over  them,  bobbed  up  and  down  like  a  ship 
in  a  gale  of  wind,  with  the  distressing  result  of  some- 
thing very  much  akin  to  sea-sickness.  A  horrible  sen- 
sation of  f aintness  often  came  over  me ;  the  air  would 
become  pregnant  with  millions  of  blue  stars,  the  cold 
grasped  me  in  the  region  of  the  heart,  and  once  or  twice 
I  completely  lost  consciousness.  The  process  of  re- 
suscitation through  which  I  was  put  was  always  ex- 
tremely painful,  and  although  I  was  grateful  enough  to 
be  aroused  from  a  condition  which  in  this  intense  frost 
is  often  fatal,  still  it  was  with  great  difficulty  that  I  re- 
strained myself  from  scolding  my  rescuers  for  their  ap- 
parent heartlessness  and  roughness. 

After  leaving  Ekaterinburg,  our  Cossack  escort  evi- 
dently imbibed  a  considerable  quantity  of  alcohol  in 
order  to  combat  the  effects  of  the  arctic  temperature 
we  were  undergoing,  and  I  regret  to  say  that  they  were 
by  no  means  what  can  truthfully  be  described  as  pleas- 
ant when  in  their  cups.  Fortunately  they  seemed  to 
look  upon  me  as  if  I  had  been  endowed  with  some  su- 
pernatural power,  and  I  was  usually  able  to  conquer 
their  frequent  fits  of  ill-temper.  Ye"gor,  who,  like  all 
Russians,  could  handle  with  amazing  rapidity  the  vitu- 
perations in  which  his  native  tongue  is  so  singularly 
rich,  swore  at  them  elaborately  upon  the  least  provoca- 
tion, but  his  words  never  had  any  practical  result,  and 
in  the  end  I  was  always  forced  to  interfere  in  order  to  re- 
store something  like  peace  in  the  breasts  of  my  body- 
guards. Perceiving  that  at  any  moment  words  might 
lead  to  something  far  more  deadly,  I  endeavored  to  con- 
trol my  rough  escort  as  best  I  could,  but  I  knew  how 
slight  was  my  hold  on  these  semi-savages,  and  this 
thought  gave  me  many  a  qualm  for  our  subsequent 
safety.  Things,  indeed,  looked  very  black  for  us  in 

280 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

more  ways  than  one.  We  had  as  yet  been  unable  to 
overtake  the  convoy,  and  the  very  elements  seemed  to 
conspire  against  the  success  of  our  foolhardy  expe- 
dition. 

This  portion  of  our  journey  remains  engraved  on  my 
mind  like  a  frightful  nightmare.  How  long  it  lasted 
I  could  not  tell ;  looking  back  upon  it  now,  I  should  say 
it  must  have  been  months,  and  dreary,  desolate  months 
at  that.  Hour  after  hour  there  was  no  break  in  the 
wide,  white  track  we  were  following,  save  at  some  wretch- 
ed post-house  where  the  tired  horses  were  changed.  The 
snow  fell  ceaselessly,  the  icy  wind  howled  about  us,  dur- 
ing the  short  days  and  the  long  steely-hued  nights. 
Often  we  could  plainly  hear  the  baying  of  the  wolves 
in  the  thickets  of  misshapen  pine-trees  which  we  passed 
on  the  road.  Verst  upon  verst  of  that  fearful  plain  was 
covered,  and  in  spite  of  all  my  efforts  to  keep  the  three 
giants  and  the  driver  in  good  humor  by  showering 
presents  upon  them,  my  escort  grumbled  aloud  now. 
They  claimed,  with  some  reason,  I  own,  that  without 
having  committed  any  crime  to  deserve  such  punish- 
ment, they  were  subjected  to  the  same  fatigues  and  pri- 
vations as  are  Siberian  convicts,  and  I  saw  that  the 
moment  was  approaching  when  they  would  refuse  to  go 
farther.  How  this  was  to  be  prevented  I  could  not  pos- 
sibly imagine. 

One  night,  about  eleven  o'clock,  the  climax  came. 
We  had  been  travelling  fast  and  furiously  in  the  teeth 
of  a  violent  storm  of  snow  and  wind,  for  I  had  hopes  of 
obtaining  certain  information  about  the  chain  of  con- 
victs at  the  next  post-station.  The  sledge  was  driven 
along  through  drifts  and  hurricanes  on  a  road  where 
all  tracks  were  obliterated  and  amid  a  darkness  ren- 
dered livid  by  the  refraction  of  the  snow.  It  was  a 
night  when  death  hovered  everywhere,  and  we  realized 

281 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

only  too  vividly  the  many  dangers  with  which  we 
were  so  fiercely  struggling.  At  length  the  glimmer 
of  distant  lights  became  dully  discernible,  and  soon 
the  panting  horses  were  pulled  up  half  dead  before  a 
cluster  of  miserable  I$bas. 

The  postmaster,  wrapped  in  sheepskins  up  to  his  very 
eyes,  came  out  with  a  lantern  and  helped  us  to  alight. 
The  house  was  poor  and  looked  more  repulsive  than  any 
place  I  had  yet  seen.  But  there  was  a  large  stove  in 
the  corner,  and  I  was  glad,  indeed,  to  stretch  my  tired 
limbs  on  the  big  bear-skin  brought  from  the  sledge, 
in  front  of  the  glowing  fire,  and  to  sip  a  cup  of  scalding 
tea.  We  were  to  rest  here  for  three  or  four  hours,  and  to 
start  again  at  dawn.  I  lay  watching  languidly  the  three 
Cossacks,  the  driver,  and  the  postmaster,  as  they  sat 
down  at  a  clumsy  table  with  their  favorite  meal  of  brown 
bread,  raw  onions,  kwass,  and  spirits  before  them.  The 
postmaster  was  also  a  Cossack,  of  Herculean  propor- 
tions, with  a  heavy  head,  enormous  mustaches,  and  a 
peculiarly  sinister  cast  of  countenance.  He  was  talking 
in  a  low,  growling  voice  to  Og,  Gog,  and  Magog,  and 
his  frequent  glances  towards  me  clearly  indicated  that 
I  was  the  subject  under  discussion.  When  he  had  seen 
to  my  comfort,  Ye"gor  approached  this  repulsive-looking 
group,  and  I  heard  him  ask  the  postmaster  to  tell  him 
at  what  time  the  horses  would  be  ready  to  start.  The 
latter  thrust  his  gigantic  fists  deep  into  the  pocket  of 
his  touloupe,  raised  his  bullet-shaped  head,  and,  gazing 
defiantly  at  Y6gor,  answered,  laconically : 

"I  have  no  horses  to  give  you." 

"What  do  you  mean  by  that?"  exclaimed  my  courier, 
angrily.  "Show  me  the  book  on  which  the  departure 
of  your  last  horses  is  inscribed,  so  that  I  may  see 
whether  you  lie  or  not." 

"I  have  no  book  to  show  you,"  was  the  stolid  reply. 

282 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A  PRINCESS 

"This  is  nonsense/'  cried  Ye*gor,  now  thoroughly 
roused.  "If  this  be  as  you  say,  you  have  committed 
a  punishable  offence,  for  the  law  demands  that  you 
should  keep  a  post-book.  You  must  find  us  horses 
before  dawn;  my  mistress  is  travelling  with  a  safe- 
conduct  signed  by  the  '  Little  Father '  (the  Czar)  him- 
self, and  any  impertinence  on  your  part  will  be  cruelly 
visited  upon  you." 

The  big  man  shrugged  his  shoulders  contemptuously, 
and,  pointing  to  my  escort,  said,  quite  unmoved :  "  Your 
companions  here  claim  that  they  are  being  badly  treated, 
and  are  weary  of  this  endless  journey  through  storm 
and  snow,  and  as  they  belong  to  my  people,  I  mean 
to  see  them  righted." 

The  scene  which  ensued  is  impossible  to  describe. 
The  wordy  warfare  grew  loud  and  discordant,  and 
threatened  to  end  in  a  hand-to-hand  fight.  Half  dazed 
by  cold  and  fatigue,  I  did  not  succeed  in  rousing  my- 
self sufficiently  to  interfere,  and  continued  to  watch  the 
proceedings  as  if  they  were  only  part  of  a  dream,  in- 
stead of  a  very  stern  reality. 

Suddenly  a  small  side  door  opened,  and  a  woman 
came  in,  with  an  uncertain,  wavering  step.  Her  face 
was  strangely  white,  and  her  red-rimmed  eyes  had  a 
vacant  stare  in  them  which  made  her  look  like  a  maniac 
or  an  inveterate  drunkard.  She  was  trembling  from 
head  to  foot,  and  her  general  appearance  was  one  of 
low  debauchery.  She  addressed  her  husband  in  a 
hoarse  voice — "  Une  voix  de  rogomme  " — requesting  him 
to  be  still,  as  the  noise  was  hurting  "  the  boy."  Through 
the  door  she  had  left  open  I  could  plainly  hear,  in  the 
silence  which  followed  her  entrance,  a  succession  of 
pitiful  moans  proceeding  from  the  next  room.  So  la- 
mentable was  this  sound  that  it  awakened  me  at  once 
from  my  half-slumbering  condition,  and,  impelled  by 

283 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

some  power  that  conquered  my  weariness,  I  rose  and 
unceremoniously  walked  into  the  dimly  lighted  cham- 
ber. The  spectacle  which  met  my  eyes  was  degraded 
and  nauseating  beyond  words,  and  in  spite  of  my  agita- 
tion I  noted  every  detail  thereof  with  lightning  rapidity. 
The  place  was  repulsively  dirty,  the  floor  of  beaten  earth 
was  covered  with  rotting  straw,  and  the  only  furniture 
consisted  of  a  long,  wooden  bench,  a  rickety  deal  table, 
on  which  a  tallow  candle  guttered  in  an  iron  candle- 
stick, and  a  shelf  attached  to  the  wall  supporting  an 
Icone  (religious  image  enamelled  on  metal),  in  front 
of  which  a  little  hanging  oil-lamp  was  lighted.  In  the 
corner  to  the  right  of  the  door  was  a  large,  low  stove, 
on  the  top  of  which  was  what  the  Russians  call  a  palati, 
and  which  serves  as  a  bed  for  the  family  during  the 
winter  months. 

On  this  strange  couch  lay  a  boy  of  fourteen  or  fifteen 
years  old,  whose  features  bore  an  expression  of  such 
terrible  suffering  that  for  a  moment  I  recoiled  in  dismay. 
The  mother  had  followed  me  into  the  room,  and,  turning 
towards  her,  I  asked  what  was  the  matter  with  the  lad. 
From  her  loud  and  disconnected  lamentations  I  at  last 
gathered  with  some  difficulty  that  "Yvan,"  who  had 
always  been  delicate,  had  three  days  previously  run  a 
long  splinter  deeply  under  his  nail,  and  that  since  then 
he  had  been  suffering  from  violent  convulsions.  One 
look  at  the  patient  told  me  that  he  was  threatened  with 
a  most  horrible  death  by  lockjaw  if  the  cause  of  the 
trouble  was  not  at  once  removed,  and  I  hinted  as  much 
to  the  mother,  who  thereupon  broke  forth  in  violent 
curses  against  everything  and  everybody,  including  a 
country  where  no  surgeons  could  be  found,  for,  as  she 
said,  in  Siberia  people  ought  to  be  always  in  good  health, 
as  in  case  of  illness  it  is  necessary  to  do  without  medi- 
cal assistance.  While  we  were  thus  employed,  she  in 

284 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

pouring  forth  dreadful  invectives  and  I  in  trying  to  calm 
her,  the  boy  suddenly  gave  an  inarticulate  cry  and 
fell  into  a  fit  of  hideous  tetanic  convulsions.  His  thin, 
emaciated  body  became  contracted  by  spasms  which 
drew  him  backward  in  so  frightful  a  fashion  that  his 
head  and  heels  almost  touched  each  other,  forming  a 
rigid  arch,  while  his  neck  and  throat  stiffened  to  burst- 
ing. I  called  to  the  mother  to  help  me  hold  him  down, 
but  she  was  either  too  drunk  or  too  frightened  to  heed 
my  words,  and,  before  I  could  prevent  him  from  doing 
so,  the  patient  had  fallen  from  his  miserable  couch, 
rolled  to  the  floor,  and,  upsetting  the  table  and  the  can- 
dle, plunged  us  into  total  darkness.  I  seized  hold  of 
him  so  as  to  prevent,  if  possible,  his  doing  himself  any 
further  injury,  and  called  loudly  for  help.  My  cries 
brought  Ye"gor  tearing  into  the  room,  followed  by  the 
postmaster,  who  was  carrying  a  lamp.  The  table  was 
soon  set  on  its  legs  again,  the  light  placed  upon  it, 
and  the  men,  having  lifted  the  writhing  lad  from  the 
floor,  held  him  down  on  the  bench  according  to  my  direc- 
tions, until  the  spasm  ceased.  Having  learned  from 
the  postmaster  that  no  medical  man  could  be  reached 
in  the  whole  district,  and  that  there  was  not  even  a 
Feldsher  (old  soldier  or  military  orderly  who  dresses 
wounds  and  administers  physic  in  Russian  villages)  to 
be  found  far  or  near,  I  told  the  father,  who  was  casting 
wild  looks  about  him,  that  his  son  was  lost  if  a  simple 
operation  were  not  at  once  performed.  I  had,  of  course, 
by  now  some  slight  knowledge  of  plain  surgery,  and  I 
asked  him  whether  he  would  like  me  to  try  what  I  could 
do  to  save  the  boy. 

Glancing  at  poor  little  Yvan,  who  was  visibly  in  the 
last  stages  of  exhaustion  now  that  the  acute  attack 
had  subsided,  his  father  replied,  with  a  growl:  "Try 
if  you  like,  but  if  you  don't  relieve  him,  I'll  kill  you 

285 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

and  your  beast  of  a  servant  with  you!"  With  which 
encouraging  speech — one  that  Y6gor  would  have  re- 
sented had  I  not  pacified  him  with  a  peremptory  look — 
the  Cossack  giant  seized  a  sharp  axe  lying  on  the  floor, 
and,  placing  it  between  his  knees,  squatted  down  on  an 
overturned  box,  and  waited  there  in  order  to  put  un- 
doubtedly his  amiable  threats  to  instant  execution. 
I  shrugged  my  shoulders,  knowing  well  what  brag- 
garts the  Russian  peasants  are,  and  bade  Ye"gor  bring 
me  my  travelling-chest  of  medicines,  which  contained 
also  a  few  unpretentious  surgical  instruments.  The 
scene  was  dismal  beyond  words,  for  what  between  the 
howls  of  the  storm  raging  outside  and  the  dirt  and 
squalor  of  the  room  in  which  we  were  assembled,  there 
was  enough,  without  the  singularly  dramatic  condition 
of  affairs,  to  shake  the  nerves  of  the  coolest  of  human 
beings.  The  three  Cossacks  of  my  escort  were  snoring 
in  the  adjoining  room,  where  they  had  cast  themselves 
down  before  the  stove  to  sleep  the  heavy  sleep  of  drunk- 
enness. The  mother,  crouching  on  the  ground  beside 
her  husband,  shed  maudlin  tears,  and  the  husband 
himself  was  watching  me  savagely  as  I  selected  a  small 
pair  of  forceps  and  a  bistoury  from  my  little  surgical 
case. 

I  will  not  enter  here  into  any  details  of  the  operation, 
which  was  a  singularly  long  and  painful  one,  thanks 
to  the  condition  of  my  patient  and  to  my  own  nervous- 
ness. I  did  the  best  I  could  under  the  circumstances; 
that  is  all  I  can  say  for  myself;  and  when  I  got  through 
I  had  the  gratification  of  seeing  young  Yvan  drop  into 
a  deep  and  peaceful  sleep  under  the  influence  of  thirty 
drops  of  laudanum  which  I  had  administered  to  him, 
and  also  to  receive  the  somewhat  shamefaced  thanks 
of  the  father,  who  relinquished  his  formidable  weapon 
and  left  the  room  muttering  words  of  regret  for  his  past 

286 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

violence.  He  spoke  to  the  other  Cossacks,  and  soon 
brought  them  round  to  a  better  frame  of  mind;  for  an 
hour  later  everything  was  ready  for  our  departure,  and 
the  contrite  and  sobered  postmaster  went  so  far  as  to 
give  us  cheering  indications  as  to  the  route  followed 
by  the  chain  of  convicts,  so  that  we  ended  by  starting 
under  altogether  altered  and  favorable  auspices. 

We  travelled  without  rest  for  two  days  and  nights, 
enduring  more  torments  than  I  care  to  describe ;  but  our 
perseverance  was  rewarded  at  last,  for  at  eight  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  just  fifty  hours  after  leaving  the  post- 
station  where  we  had  met  with  so  startling  and  un- 
gracious a  reception,  we  reached  a  long,  straggling 
village  consisting  of  a  double  line  of  miserable-looking 
log -cabins,  with  a  post-house  painted  a  bright  blue 
standing  a  little  back  from  the  road.  In  front  of  this 
building  were  several  hundred  convicts  surrounded  by  a 
cordon  of  soldiers  armed  to  the  teeth.  Crowds  of  chil- 
dren and  peasant  women  were  distributing  to  them 
loaves  of  coarse  black  bread  and  little  round  cheeses, 
which  the  poor  wretches  fell  to  devouring  greedily  as 
soon  as  they  received  them. 

The  jingling  of  the  chains  and  the  muttering  voices 
of  the  exiles  made  a  most  dismal  and  ghastly  concert, 
and  as  my  kibitka  forced  its  way  through  the  throng, 
tears  of  sympathy  for  these  melancholy  travellers  rose 
to  my  eyes.  The  air  was  so  thick  with  drifting  snow- 
flakes  that  we  could  hardly  distinguish  anything,  but 
the  little  we  did  see  was  enough  to  hurt  one's  very  soul. 
Many  disabled  and  tired-out  convicts  were  lying  down 
in  the  freshly  fallen  snow,  unable  to  take  another  step, 
and  an  officer  of  Cossacks  was  inspecting  the  irons  of 
some  pallid-faced  wretches  who  were  being  marched 
past  him. 

The  convicts  stared  at  us  with  great  curiosity,  as  we , 

287 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

got  out  of  our  sleigh  and  entered  the  station-house,  and 
a  few  of  them  even  removed  their  tattered  woollen  caps 
in  respectful  salutation.  I  made  up  my  mind,  as  I  gazed 
upon  them,  to  inform  the  Czar  of  all  this  condemnable 
harshness,  and  I  mentally  registered  a  vow  to  enlighten 
him  on  the  subject  if  I  ever  reached  St.  Petersburg  once 
more.  I  may  add  that  this  vow  was  religiously  kept 
later  on,  although  it  was  no  easy  task  to  impress  the 
Emperor  with  the  horror  of  the  spectacle  presented  by 
these  haggard  men  walking  backward  and  forward  on 
the  snow,  attempting  by  violent  exercise  to  keep  them- 
selves from  freezing  alive,  nor  to  describe  to  him  the 
livid  countenances  caused  by  the  stiff  and  aching  limbs, 
the  countless  privations,  and  want  of  proper  food  and 
clothing  endured  by  the  condemned  offenders  I  saw 
before  me. 

Indeed,  it  was  with  a  heavy  heart  that  I  entered  the 
low-ceiled  room  where  several  officers  and  guards  were 
warming  themselves  around  the  stove. 

I  at  once  inquired  for  the  officer  in  command  of  the 
convoy,  and  after  some  delay  he  presented  himself  before 
me.  He  was  a  tall,  broad-shouldered  man,  clean  shaven 
but  for  a  long  reddish  mustache ;  his  hair  was  closely 
cropped,  and  his  forehead  and  bushy  eyebrows  pro- 
truded forbiddingly  over  his  light-colored,  piercing  eyes. 
Taken  altogether,  his  appearance  gave  one  the  impres- 
sion of  his  being  a  nasty  customer  to  deal  with.  He 
stood  bolt  upright  a  few  steps  from  me  in  the  attitude 
which  in  military  language  is  designated  as  "  at  atten- 
tion," and  saluted  me  with  the  grace  of  an  automa- 
ton. 

"  You  have  among  your  prisoners  a  man  of  the  name 
of  Fedor  Andreitch,  I  believe/'  I  said  to  him. 

He  pretended  for  a  moment  to  consult  his  memory, 
and  then  answered,  in  a  loud,  metallic  voice:  "Yes, 

288 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

your  nobility,  there  is  an  unruly  fellow  of  that  name 
in  our  chain  of  convicts.  He  is  called  now,  however, 
number  179." 

As  soon  as  the  words  were  pronounced  his  mouth 
closed  spasmodically,  and  his  head,  which  he  had 
turned  towards  me  while  speaking,  reverted  with  a  jerk 
to  its  former  position  of  "attention." 

"Then  here  are  some  papers  which  will  show  you 
that  by  the  order  of  his  Majesty  the  Czar,  this  convict 
is  to  be  set  free  and  delivered  into  my  hands,"  I  con- 
tinued, handing  him  the  documents  in  question. 

He  carefully  perused  them  from  beginning  to  end, 
then  looked  puzzled  and  stared  at  me  vacantly.  At  last 
he  said,  in  the  same  monotonous  fashion  he  had  used 
before : 

"  This  paper  bears  the  name  of  one  Y6gor  Nikolai'tch 
Ful6w :  that  is  not  your  nobility?" 

I  readily  perceived  that  I  had  adopted  an  utterly  false 
method,  and  therefore  hastened  to  repair  my  mistake 
by  explaining  matters  to  him  as  glibly  as  I  could. 

When  I  ceased  speaking  he  knit  his  brow,  scratched 
the  back  of  his  head,  and  then,  wheeling  to  the  right 
about,  he  took  three  paces  in  the  direction  of  the  door. 
Suddenly,  however,  he  hesitated,  turned  on  his  heel, 
and,  once  more  approaching  me,  said,  shortly : 

"I  cannot  give  up  the  prisoner  without  the  sanction 
of  the  governor  of  the  province." 

I  tapped  my  foot  impatiently  on  the  floor  and  asked 
him  whether  an  order  from  the  Emperor  needed,  in  his 
eyes,  sanction  from  anybody.  To  this  he  made  no 
answer,  but  stood  motionless  in  a  manner  which  would 
have  tried  the  patience  of  an  ancient  Stoic,  and,  sad  to 
relate,  nothing  that  either  Y£gor  or  I  could  say  seemed  to 
produce  the  slightest  effect  upon  him. 

Things  were  looking  their  blackest,  and  I  had  almost 
T  289 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

despaired  of  ever  coming  to  any  satisfactory  under- 
standing with  this  man,  when  they  took  the  most  un- 
expected turn,  and,  as  in  a  novel,  a  deus  ex  machina, 
appeared  miraculously  on  the  scene  at  our  worst  hour 
of  need. 

The  crack  of  a  whip  and  the  shrill  jingle  of  sleigh- 
bells  were  heard.  The  door  was  thrown  open,  and  a 
gentleman  wearing  a  general's  uniform  marched  into 
the  room.  I  learned  later  that  he  was  the  military  govern- 
or of  the  district,  and  that  he  was  accidentally  passing 
through  the  village,  where  he  had  stopped  to  change 
horses.  Curiously  enough,  the  worthy  creature  seemed 
to  know  me  well  by  sight,  and  when  he  discovered  me  in 
the  filthy  post-house  of  this  far-Siberian  settlement, 
the  extremity  of  his  amazement  was  most  amusing  to 
witness.  There  are  snobs  on  every  rung  of  the  social 
ladder  in  Russia,  as  well  as  in  every  other  country  of 
the  world,  and  this  explains  the  enthusiasm  with  which 
this  high  official  greeted  me. 

"Is  it  possible/'  he  exclaimed,  "that  I  should  behold 
so  lofty  a  personage  in  this  dismal  place?  And  if  my 
eyes  do  not  mislead  me,  can  I  be  of  any  service?" 

Much  surprised  at  this  grandiloquent  tirade,  for,  un- 
less the  general  had  seen  me  at  some  court  reception  in 
St.  Petersburg  or  Moscow,  I  certainly  had  not  the  faint- 
est recollection  of  ever  having  met  him  before ;  I  never- 
theless explained  my  dilemma  to  him  with  the  greatest 
possible  despatch. 

His  rage  when  I  told  him  that  the  officer  in  charge  of 
the  convicts  refused  to  obey  my  injunction  was  a  de- 
lightful relief  to  me  and  most  ludicrous  to  behold.  He 
raved  and  swore  till  I  thought  that  an  apoplectic  seizure 
would  be  the  reward  of  his  overweening  energy. 

"Do  you  know,  sir,  whom  you  have  the  honor  of 
seeing  before  you?"  he  yelled  to  his  unfortunate  sub- 

290 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF   A   PRINCESS 

ordinate;  and,  pointing  towards  me,  he  began  to  enu- 
merate my  titles  and  dignities  at  such  a  length  and 
with  so  much  eloquence  that  sheer  modesty  forbids  me 
to  transcribe  his  words  here.  The  captain  of  Cossacks, 
who  seemed  ready  to  sink  through  the  floor,  muttered 
some  obsequious  excuses. 

"  Don't  speak  to  me;  you  are  a  disgrace  to  the  country 
which  you  have  the  altogether  undeserved  privilege  of 
serving!"  roared  the  general,  crossing  his  arms  on  his 
fat  chest  and  glaring  furiously  at  the  crestfallen  officer. 
"Go  and  fetch  this  gentleman  whom  this  noble  lady 
has  come  so  far  to  rescue  from  your  clutches,  and  show 
him  proper  respect,  I  beg  of  you." 

Proper  respect  to  a  convict.,  whom  the  general  governor 
designated  as  "a  gentleman."  The  nonplussed  officer 
looked  as  if  he  might  have  dropped  with  surprise. 

His  intelligence  was  not  sufficiently  great  to  show  him 
that  his  superior  cared  very  little  whether  thousands  of 
exiles  were  left  to  rot  under  the  Siberian  ice  every  year, 
but  that  he  cared  very  much  to  obtain  the  good  graces 
of  his  Majesty  the  Czar  by  serving  him  in  this  instance. 
At  any  rate  he  obeyed  with  remarkable  alacrity,  and  a 
few  minutes  later  re-entered  the  room,  followed  by  a 
young  man  wearing  the  tolu-shuba,  or  long  coat  of  sheep- 
skin, with  the  tanned  side  out,  which  is  the  garment  of 
marching  convicts;  dark-blue  woollen  trousers,  long, 
loose  boots,  big  leather  mittens,  and  a  worsted  cap 
drawn  over  the  ears,  his  heavy  leg-fetters  being  held  to- 
gether by  a  long,  clanking  chain  attached  to  a  broad 
leather  belt,  and  a  tattered  crimson  handkerchief  bound 
around  his  throat. 

The  face  and  figure  of  this  man  were  in  glaring  con- 
trast with  his  infamous  garb.  He  was  tall,  fair,  and 
athletic,  with  a  high-bred  look  on  his  remarkably  beau- 
tiful aquiline  features,  but  exposure  and  fatigue  had 

291 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

worn  his  splendid  frame  and  emaciated  his  hand- 
some face.  I  had  risen,  and  as  he  came  near  I  held 
out  my  hand  to  him  in  welcome,  saying,  with  some 
emotion :  "  I  am  very  happy  to  have  found  you  at  last, 
F6dor  Andreitch,  and  to  be  able  to  hand  you  the  Em- 
peror's free  pardon."  As  I  spoke  his  eloquent  and 
feverish  eyes  sought  mine  with  an  agony  of  doubt  and 
anguish,  for  the  officer  had  evidently  not  told  him  what 
awaited  him.  A  shiver  shook  him  and  a  sob  rose  in 
his  throat. 

"  Is  it  true  ?"  he  said,  in  a  dreamy,  hesitating  voice. 

"  It  is ;  I  have  come  to  fetch  you,  and  to  bring  you  back 
to  those  you  love/' 

"  Are  you  an  angel  come  down  from  heaven  to  save 
me?"  he  said,  passionately,  his  white  lips  pronouncing 
the  words  so  low  that  they  hardly  stirred  the  air.  Then, 
with  a  sudden  motion  of  his  tall  figure,  he  knelt  down 
on  the  beaten  earth  before  me,  and,  burying  his  face  in 
the  folds  of  my  cloak,  he  broke  into  those  heartrending 
sobs  which  shake  strong  men  in  their  agony. 

We  were  alone  now.  The  general,  with  a  tact  for 
which  I  would  not  have  given  him  credit,  had  ordered 
every  one  out  of  the  room  and  had  taken  himself  off  for 
the  time  being.  I  bent  over  the  kneeling  man,  softly 
touching  his  bowed  head,  as  I  would  have  done  that  of  a 
troubled  child,  and  whispered  words  of  comfort  and  of 
hope.  Gradually  the  paroxysm  subsided;  he  lifted  his 
eyes  to  mine  and  gazed  on  me  with  an  expression  of 
grateful  adoration  and  joy  which  went  far  towards  re- 
warding me  for  the  hardships  I  had  lately  undergone 
on  his  behalf.  When  he  grew  quieter  I  related  to  him 
briefly  the  events  which  had  brought  me  to  Siberia,  and 
asked  him  whether  he  felt  strong  enough  to  start  that 
same  day  for  St.  Petersburg.  I  could  not  help  noticing, 
in  spite  of  his  efforts  to  conceal  the  fact,  how  much  he 

292 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

had  suffered  from  his  terrible  experiences  on  the  Sibe- 
rian road,  for  a  hard,  dry  cough  shook  him  intermit- 
tently, and  there  were  hectic  spots  on  his  thin  cheeks. 
He  would,  however,  hear  of  no  delay,  and  implored  me 
to  start  as  soon  as  possible. 

His  agitation  was  something  terrible  to  behold,  and 
for  more  than  an  hour  he  paced  the  length  of  the  dingy 
room  to  and  fro,  overcome  by  feelings  which  he  could  not 
master.  In  vain  I  urged  him  to  lie  down  for  a  few  hours. 
The  shock  had  been  too  great;  the  moral  resurrec- 
tion through  which  he  had  gone  had  brought  on  a 
high  fever  which  nothing  seemed  to  soothe.  In  the 
meanwhile,  with  the  help  of  the  kindly  general,  who 
went  to  no  end  of  trouble  on  this  memorable  occasion,  I 
procured  some  clothes  for  Fe"dor,  and  that  afternoon  we 
set  off  on  our  return  journey.  The  general -governor 
had  begged  us  to  come  and  stay  for  a  few  days  at  his 
residence,  which  was  only  fifty  versts  off,  and  I  must 
say  that  I  was  so  anxious  to  see  my  patient — as  I  now 
considered  him  to  be — take  the  repose  he  so  much  need- 
ed, that  I  pleaded  my  own  fatigue  as  a  reason  for  ac- 
cepting this  invitation  for  twenty-four  hours. 

The  government-house  was  a  stout,  shambling  build- 
ing made  of  logs,  like  all  houses  in  Siberia,  sheltered, 
after  a  fashion,  from  the  sweeping  wind  by  clumps  of 
remarkably  well -grown  pine-trees.  We  arrived  there 
about  six  o'clock  in  the  evening,  and  were  most  cordial- 
ly and  affectionately  received  by  the  general's  wife,  a 
fat,  motherly,  middle-aged  lady,  with  a  fresh,  healthy 
complexion,  who  wore  a  remarkable  structure  of  lace  and 
ribbons  upon  her  head,  and  a  stiff  purple  silk  gown, 
which  rustled  like  strong  paper  when  she  walked. 

Dishes  of  cold  meat,  tea,  eggs,  boiled  dried  fruit,  and 
cheese  composed  the  meal,  but,  simple  as  was  this  fare, 
it  was  such  a  comfort  to  sit  <once  more  at  a  table,  in  a 

293 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

clean,  warm  room,  and  to  eat  off  china  and  silver,  that  I 
do  not  think  I  ever  enjoyed  a  repast  as  I  did  this  one. 
Both  my  host  and  hostess  treated  me  with  so  much 
elaborate  ceremony,  however,  that  my  pleasure  was 
somewhat  marred  thereby,  and  I  was  relieved  when,  some 
little  time  after  supper,  I  was  at  last  conducted  to  my 
rooms.  There  were  no  chests  of  drawers,  wardrobes, 
or  cupboards  in  my  apartment,  but  1  found  an  immense 
sofa,  some  large  arm-chairs,  and  a  long  ottoman,  which 
left  but  little  space  to  move  about  in.  I  noticed  also 
regretfully  that  there  was  no  bath,  but  I  remedied  this 
by  means  of  my  rubber  travelling-tub.  In  the  morning 
I  had  the  pleasure  of  discovering  that  there  was  a  bath- 
room in  the  house,  and  a  very  large  and  comfortable 
one,  too. 

Nothing  could  exceed  the  kindness  of  my  entertain- 
ers. When  I  rose  I  found  my  hostess  in  the  large  bath- 
room mentioned,  getting  it  ready  for  me  with  her  own 
hands,  carefully  seeing  that  the  temperature  was  cor- 
rect, and  on  my  return  to  my  own  rooms  discovered  that 
a  huge  open  fire  had  been  lit  in  spite  of  the  big  one 
roaring  in  the  porcelain  stove  in  case  of  a  chill  after  my 
warm  plunge. 

My"  hostess  had  three  children,  and  was  evidently  very 
much  devoted  to  them,  but  I  observed  that  she  never 
kissed  them  even  to  say  good-night,  a  pat  on  the  head 
being  the  only  sign  of  affection  that  she  ever  gave  them. 
On  my  speaking  of  this  to  her,  she  answered,  "But  I 
give  them  my  hand  to  kiss,"  and  added,  "I  think  you 
foreigners  kiss  your  children  too  much.  It  is  not  good 
for  them."  I  smiled  at  this,  but  I  must  say  that  her 
boys  were  robust,  like  young  bear  cubs,  which  they 
somewhat  resembled,  for  they  had  real  Tartar  faces; 
they  were,  it  is  true,  somewhat  heavy  and  stupid,  but 
their  doting  father  never  tired  of  relating  their  many 

294 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF   A   PRINCESS 

exploits  and  their  many  deeds  of  courage  when  they 
accompanied  him  wolf -hunting. 

In  this  atmosphere  of  sympathy  and  peace  Fe'dor 
Andreitch  seemed  to  revive  with  every  passing  hour. 
His  bearing  and  manners  were  those  of  a  refined  and 
cultured  gentleman.  It  was  inevitable  that  his  recent 
sufferings  should  have  left  indelible  traces  on  his  coun- 
tenance, and  he  still  looked  fatigued,  but  there  was 
something  so  winning  about  him  that  he  became  at  once 
a  general  favorite.  We  were  genuinely  sorry  to  have 
to  say  good-bye  to  our  new  friends  and  to  their  hospitable 
house,  yet,  now  that  we  were  thoroughly  rested,  we  felt 
that  every  moment  of  delay  was  fraught  with  needless 
cruelty  to  Nadeje.  We  started,  accompanied  by  the 
good  wishes  of  the  general  and  his  family,  who,  in  spite 
of  the  faling  snow  and  the  extreme  severity  of  the  tem- 
perature, stood  on  the  door-steps  waving  adieus  to  us 
until  we  disappeared  from  view. 

On  the  third  day  of  our  return  trip  we  witnessed  the 
most  magnificent  spectacle  which  it  is  possible  to  con- 
ceive. The  snow  had  ceased  to  fall  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  towards  mid-day  the  sun,  which  had  not 
shone  upon  me  since  our  departure  from  St.  Petersburg, 
suddenly  broke  through  the  dense  gray  layers  of  clouds, 
its  golden  rays  transforming  the  gloomy  landscape  like 
the  wand  of  a  magician.  No  pen  can  describe  the 
dazzling  splendor  of  the  endless  frozen  plains  shimmer- 
ing like  waves  of  molten  silver  to  where  the  horizon 
melted  in  a  faint  blue  line  against  the  yet  paler  blue 
of  the  sky.  Every  branch  of  the  bushes,  every  blade  and 
tuft  of  the  frozen  reeds  sheathed  in  transparent  ice  re- 
flected the  light  in  rainbow  hues,  and  as  the  wind  lifted 
some  of  the  loose  snow  far  up  into  the  air  it  seemed  to  us 
as  if  we  were  surrounded  by  a  slight  veil  of  crystals 
wonderfully  spun  by  the  hands  of  a  genie. 

295 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A  PRINCESS 

We  gazed  at  this  beautiful  scene,  speechless  with  awe 
and  admiration.  Even  our  Cossacks,  who  generally 
looked  as  interested  in  our  surroundings  as  bears  awak- 
ened before  they  had  done  hibernating,  actually  gave 
vent  to  a  series  of  enthusiastic  if  rather  discordant 
hurrahs.  The  horses  seemed  to  catch  the  infection, 
and,  bounding  like  deers,  they  flew  over  the  snow  with 
the  fleetness  of  zephyrs.  'Unfortunately  this  delicious 
state  of  things  did  not  last  very  long,  and  after  an  in- 
tensely cold,  starlit  night  the  weather  relapsed  into  storm 
and  falling  snow  which  followed  the  faint  red  of  a  sullen 
winter's  dawn. 

On  that  day  I  came  upon  a  flower  which  at  that  time 
was  completely  unknown  outside  of  Russia's  greatest 
and  most  arid  province,  but  which  since  then,  I  believe, 
has  found  its  place  in  the  herbarium  of  many  a  dis- 
tinguished botanist.  My  Cossacks  told  me  that  this 
blossom  was  called  the  "  luck  star  "  or  the  "  snow  flower," 
and,  for  all  I  know  to  the  contrary,  it  may  still  bear  these 
names  in  the  far  Northern  lands  where  it  has  its  home. 
It  grows  only  where  snow  covers  the  ground  for  many 
months,  and  raises  its  wonderful  head  from  the  frozen, 
glittering  surface  of  the  steppe.  It  begins  to  bloom 
at  the  beginning  of  January,  opens  in  a  day,  and,  at  the 
end  of  the  third  day  succeeding  its  glorious  birth,  fades 
and  dies.  It  has  five  petals,  each  being  four  inches 
in  diameter,  covered  with  what  looks  like  crystallized 
snow.  The  petals  are  exquisitely  formed  in  the  shape 
of  a  large  star,  and  at  the  end  of  each  sparkles  an  oc- 
tagonal point  like  a  diamond  or  a  huge  petrified  dew- 
drop.  These  are  the  seed-pods  of  this  marvellous  plant. 
It  is  claimed  that  whenever  the  wearied  traveller  meets 
on  his  road  this  heavenly-looking  blossom  it  brings 
hope  and  good-luck  to  him,  and  thus  it  is  revered — nay, 
almost  worshipped— on  the  grim  plains  of  Siberia. 

296 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

Driving  on  and  on,  never  pausing  save  to  change 
horses  and  to  take  a  hurried  meal  at  a  post-house,  we 
went  through  the  same  tedious  routine  I  had  already 
experienced ;  but  at  last  we  reached  Ekaterinburg,  and 
put  up  at  the  palatial  Plotinkof.  Arrived  there,  I 
sent  a  despatch  to  Nadeje,  telling  her  of  Fe"dor's  safety. 
The  latter,  as  we  came  nearer  to  our  destination,  puzzled 
me  by  his  gradually  sinking  energy.  He  often  slept  for 
hours  together  during  the  end  of  our  trip  in  the  kibitka, 
and  when  awake  his  mind  seemed  absorbed  and  full  of 
dull,  feverish  day-dreams.  At  first  he  had  talked  al- 
most unceasingly  of  Nadeje  and  of  their  child,  but  now 
he  never  mentioned  their  names.  Once  I  asked  him 
to  tell  me  what  ailed  him,  and,  fixing  his  dark-blue  eyes 
on  me  very  sadly,  he  said,  simply : 

"The  ineffaceable  past  lies  heavily  upon  me,  and  is 
like  a  ghost  tracking  my  steps.  I  did  wrong  when  I 
induced  Nadeje  to  marry  me  secretly,  and  this  thought 
hangs  like  a  millstone  about  my  neck.  My  punishment 
has  been  hard  already,  but  never  so  hard  as  now,  when 
I  have  seen  what  you,  madame,  have  undergone  to 
save  me." 

"Do  not  say  that!"  I  exclaimed,  much  annoyed. 

'You  have  no  need  to  regret  anything  so  far  as  I  am 

concerned.     This  trip  has  been  to  me  a  pleasant  novelty 

in  a  monotonous  round  of  self-indulgence,  and  also  a 

great  pleasure,  I  assure  you." 

He  shook  his  head  and  murmured  wistfully:  "You 
say  so,  and  I  wish  I  could  believe  you,  but  it  does  not 
lessen  my  debt  of  gratitude,  a  debt  which  I  can  never 
repay." 

"Nonsense!"  I  rejoined,  impatiently;  "when  I  see  you 
living  happily  with  your  Nadeje  I  will  be  more  than 
repaid  for  a  little  trouble  and  fatigue."  But  as  I  said 
the  words  a  curious  feeling  of  doubt  assailed  me,  and  I 

297 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

wondered  what  of  happiness  or  sorrow  lay  in  the  future 
for  the  young  couple  in  whom  I  had  taken  so  great  an 
interest,  although  our  acquaintance  was,  comparatively 
speaking,  so  short. 

We  stayed  two  days  at  Ekaterinburg,  and  then  went 
on  to  Moscow  and  thence  home,  where  we  arrived  at 
last,  one  evening,  much  exhausted,  but  greatly  pleased 
to  see  the  end  of  our  exhausting  journey.  I  left  Fedor 
at  the  door  of  the  Imperial  Hotel,  promising  to  com- 
municate with  him  as  soon  as  I  had  seen  Nadeje  and 
had  prepared  her  for  the  joy  of  their  reunion. 

A  storm  of  reproaches  awaited  me  at  home.  My  hus- 
band, who  had  by  this  time  learned  my  reasons  for  going 
to  Russia,  was  in  a  towering  rage.  He  received  me  with 
a  very  magnificent  speech  which,  if  it  did  not  impress 
me  much,  had  at  any  rate  the  merit  of  coming  straight 
from  the  heart.  The  position  was  a  trying  one  for  him, 
I  readily  acknowledge,  for  although  he  liked  publicity 
himself,  he  hated  anybody  else  to  attract  it,  and  the 
news  of  my  Siberian  undertaking  had,  through  some 
indiscretion  on  the  part  of  my  servants,  become  uni- 
versally known,  so  that,  to  his  great  chagrin,  I  had 
created  a  genuine  sensation.  As  I  declined  to  receive 
his  admonitions  in  a  tame  spirit,  he  soon  cooled  down, 
and  the  subject  was  dropped  for  the  nonce. 

The  next  morning  I  drove  to  the  address  given  to  me 
by  Nadeje  as  that  of  the  house  where  she  lived  with  her 
father.  It  was  in  an  old  quarter  of  the  town,  somewhere 
near  the  river,  and  the  place  looked  dark  and  dismal 
on  this  blustering,  rainy  forenoon  to  inspire  one  with 
positive  ideas  of  suicide.  I  sent  my  footman  to  inquire 
whether  I  could  see  the  mistress  of  the  house,  and  was 
surprised  and  distressed  to  hear  that  she  had  been  from 
home  for  a  week,  but  that  der  gnddige  Herr  was  in !  I 
immediately  decided  to  see  the  old  gentleman,  and  to 

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THE  TRIBULATIONS    OF  A   PRINCESS 

find  out,  without,  of  course,  betraying  his  daughter's 
secret,  where  I  could  find  her.  With  some  difficulty,  I 
obtained  admittance,  and  was  ushered  by  an  aged 
man-servant,  clothed  in  funereal  black,  into  a  mel- 
ancholy salon  looking  out  on  to  a  narrow,  gloomy 
street. 

Everything  in  that  room  was  singularly  depressing : 
the  sombre  hangings  and  ebony  furniture,  stiffly  ar- 
ranged on  the  oaken  floor,  which  was  waxed  and  pol- 
ished to  a  dangerous  extent,  and  had  an  uninhabited 
appearance.  The  large  coal  fire  burning  in  the  grate 
did  not  succeed  in  brightening  this  preternaturally  un- 
friendly apartment. 

I  waited  so  long  that  I  was  on  the  point  of  ringing  the 
bell  to  remind  the  household  of  my  presence,  when  the 
door  opened  and  a  man,  who  must  have  been  sixty  years 
of  age  at  least,  if  not  more,  though  still  erect  and  un- 
bending, entered.  His  black  eyes  flashed  with  sullen 
fires,  and  his  thin-lipped  mouth  had  something  cruel 
about  it  which  I  thought  very  repellent.  He  bowed 
low  before  me,  and  asked  in  excellent  German  to  what 
he  was  indebted  for  the  honor  of  a  call  from  me. 

"I  came  with  the  hope  of  meeting  your  daughter," 
I  said  to  him,  "  but  your  man  informs  me  that  she  is  not 
here.  Would  you  oblige  me  by  letting  me  know  where 
I  may  write  to  her?" 

He  shot  a  look  of  deep  aversion  at  me,  then,  control- 
ling himself  with  evident  effort,  he  said,  in  a  strange, 
hollow  voice : 

"  I  have  no  longer  a  daughter.  She  forfeited  all  claim 
to  my  affection  when  she  debased  herself  by  a  secret 
marriage  with  a  man  whom  I  had  forbidden  her  to  ever 
so  much  as  speak  to." 

"Do  not  say  such  words,"  I  said,  sternly;  "your 
daughter  has  sacrificed  her  happiness  for  your  sake, 

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THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

and  the  secrecy  of  her  marriage  was  only  the  result  of 
your  unjust  prejudice." 

He  listened  to  me  with  bitter  scorn  depicted  on  his 
sharp,  pale  features. 

"  I  do  not  wish  to  lack  in  courtesy  towards  a  lady  of 
your  exalted  rank,  madame,  and  yet  I  must  decline  to 
discuss  this  matter  any  further  with  you.  Ever  since  I 
discovered  my  daughter's  treachery  she  has  been  dead 
to  me,  and  nothing  will  make  me  reconsider  my  de- 
cision so  far  as  she  is  concerned." 

His  voice  was  cold  and  resolute,  and  I  saw  that,  as  he 
said  himself,  nothing  could  move  him  in  his  resolve. 

"Will  you  at  least  tell  me  what  has  become  of  her?" 
I  exclaimed,  forgetting  in  the  intensity  of  my  eagerness 
to  resent  this  strange  personage's  extraordinary  manner. 

He  hesitated  a  moment,  then  reluctantly  replied: 

"  She  was  summoned  to  R a  week  ago.  That  is  all 

I  know;  ask  me  no  more." 

She  has  gone  to  her  child,  I  thought  to  myself,  with 
a  pang  of  pity  for  the  poor  young  mother,  as  I  listened 
with  anger  rising  in  my  heart.  But  I  knew  now  what  I 
had  come  to  learn,  and,  with  a  slight  inclination  of  the 
head,  I  walked  across  the  room,  too  provoked  to  trust 
myself  to  speak.  When  I  reached  the  threshold  I  turned 
and  involuntarily  looked  back.  He  was  still  standing 
by  the  mantel-piece,  his  face  motionless  and  as  bloodless 
as  that  of  a  corpse,  and  the  expression  of  his  eyes  was 
so  relentless  and  fierce  that  I  could  not  help  exclaiming : 

"You  will  yet  live  to  regret  what  you  have  done!" 
Then  I  walked  rapidly  down-stairs,  deeply  concerned 
at  the  unexpected  turn  which  this  sad  affair  was  taking. 

On  my  way  to  the  hotel  I  vainly  puzzled  my  brain, 
wondering  how  this  awful  old  gentleman  had  come 
upon  his  daughter's  secret.  But  even  with  the  help  of 
F6dor — who  was  intensely  distressed  by  what  I  told  him 

300 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A  PRINCESS 

— I  could  not  imagine  how  it  had  happened.  The  poor 
fellow  looked  so  wretched  that  I  became  seriously  anx- 
ious about  him.  We  decided  that  he  had  better  start 
for  R without  further  delay,  and  I  made  him  prom- 
ise to  let  me  know  at  once  how  he  found  Nadeje  and  her 
baby,  and  also  not  to  hesitate  to  call  me  should  he  need 
my  help.  We  knew  where  Nadeje  was,  that  was  all, 
and  we  were  thankful  for  that,  but,  unfortunately,  her 
only  friends,  who  were  also  F6dor's  relatives,  were  win- 
tering in  Egypt,  and  so  we  were  unable  to  ascertain 
what  had  occurred  during  my  absence.  The  young 
husband  was  almost  beside  himself  with  grief  at  the 
thought  of  the  misery  which  the  hapless  girl  he  had 
married  must  have  endured  for  his  sake,  and  a  heavy 
sense  of  guilt  lay  upon  him.  Indeed,  I  was  amazed  by 
the  ravages  these  emotions  were  working  upon  him, 
and  I  began  to  wonder  how  long  his  strength  would  last 
if  this  state  of  affairs  did  not  change  for  the  better  very 
soon. 

Three  days  went  by  without  bringing  me  any  news. 
I  had  once  more  resumed  the  ceaseless  gayeties  of  my 
hollow  mundane  existence.  The  Fasching  was  particu- 
larly brilliant  that  year,  and  I  was  immediately  caught 
in  a  regular  whirlpool  of  dinners,  balls,  and  receptions, 
until  my  Siberian  tour  seemed  but  a  dream  of  my  fancy. 

On  the  night  of  the  third  day  I  had  just  come  home 
from  a  ball  at  the  English  Embassy,  and  was  sitting  in 
my  dressing-room,  when  my  chief  woman-in-waiting 
brought  me  a  telegraphic  message.  I  tore  open  the  enve- 
lope and  read  the  following  words  with  a  start  of  horror : 

"She  is  dying,  and  is  asking  for  you.     Can  you  come  to  us? 

"  FEDOR." 

I  gazed  vacantly  for  a  moment  at  the  pink  silk  hang- 
ings on  the  walls,  at  the  great  mirrors  which  reflected 

301 


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the  light  of  the  lamps,  and  I  unconsciously  pushed  from 
me  a  bowl  of  lilies  which  stood  on  a  table  near  me,  for 
their  perfume  suddenly  sickened  me.  The  news  was  so 
unexpected  that  I  felt  dazed  and  stunned.  Dying — this 
poor  girl  to  whom  I  had  restored  her  beloved  husband! 
It  seemed  cruel  enough  to  be  true,  although  I  could 
hardly  realize  it !  I  decided  to  start  by  the  first  train  I 
could  catch,  and  I  was  glad  of  the  bustle  of  preparation 
attending  my  hurried  departure,  for  it  kept  me  from 
thinking,  and  drove  away,  in  a  measure,  my  anxiety. 
One  cannot  devote  many  weeks  of  one's  life  to  the 
service  of  friends  without  becoming  proportionately  at- 
tached to  them,  and  the  young  couple  had  gradually 
crept  into  my  affections. 

I  took  the  early  train  south,  and  went  straight  on  to 
the  coast.  I  knew  the  exact  situation  of  the  villa  where 
Nadeje's  baby  had  been  born,  and  therefore,  on  alight- 
ing from  the  train,  I  drove  at  once  to  the  small  seaport 
of  R . 

This  lovely  part  of  the  world  is  but  little  known  to  the 
ordinary  globe-trotter,  a  fact  which  has  always  sur- 
prised me,  for  the  scenery  is  beautiful,  and  possesses  a 
savage  grandeur  seldom  to  be  met  with  in  more  civilized 
countries.  The  shore  is  perilously  abrupt,  and  the 
great  red  cliffs,  crowned  with  cacti  and  olive-trees,  press 
around  and  seem  to  shut  in  on  every  side  a  series  of 
semi-landlocked  lakes  where  the  great  waves  of  the 
sea  have  hollowed  out  deep  caverns  and  crevices. 

The  villa  Rodoi'tza  nestled  in  a  nook  of  the  bay  where 
aloes  and  mimosa  grew  thickly,  and  was  reached  by  a 
winding  flower-lined  path  which  led  up  to  it  along  a 
steep  incline  cut  out  of  the  live  rock. 

The  weather  was  perfect,  and  as  I  proceeded  rapidly 
towards  my  destination  I  could  not  help  admiring  the 
sublimity  of  the  landscape  which  appeared  to  me  all  the 

302 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

more  delightful  after  the  bleakness  of  the  northern  re- 
gions which  I  had  so  recently  left  behind  me.  The  sea 
was  buoyant,  but  not  rough,  and  the  long,  curling  waves 
of  the  Adriatic  beat  rhythmically  on  the  sands  far  below 
the  road  I  was  following.  Flocks  of  white-winged  gulls 
flew  above  the  water,  dipping  occasionally  in  the  hollow 
of  the  surge,  while  a  wall  of  rock  rose  in  many  ridges 
towards  the  road,  where  it  ended  in  a  thick  hedge  of 
prickly-pear-trees  and  arbutus. 

The  villa  was  excessively  pretty,  and  looked  like  a 
miniature  paradise,  surrounded  as  it  was  by  thickets 
of  tall  rose-laurels  and  backed  by  huge  palms.  It  was 
a  low,  white  house,  built  of  Ferrara  marble,  with  a  long 
terrace  studded  at  intervals  with  blue  majolica  vases 
filled  with  blossoming  plants.  Blue-and-white  awnings 
protected  the  windows  from  the  glare  of  the  Southern 
sun,  and  the  entire  place  was  so  full  of  life,  color,  and 
gayety  that  I  could  not  imagine  how  so  beautiful  a  place 
could  harbor  death  and  sorrow. 

The  door  was  opened  for  me  by  an  old  woman  wear- 
ing the  picturesque  garb  of  the  peasants  of  that  region. 
Her  wrinkled  face  was  very  pale,  and  her  eyes  red  and 
swollen  from  weeping.  Without  saying  a  word,  she 
preceded  me  into  a  small  but  very  pretty  room  with 
panelled  walls  and  old-rose  hangings,  and  left  me  stand- 
ing there  in  no  enviable  frame  of  mind.  In  a  moment 
more  the  heavy  curtains  of  the  doorway  were  quickly 
drawn  apart,  and  F6dor  stood  before  me  with  the  light 
of  the  bright,  joyful  day  shining  on  him  and  showing 
me  a  face  so  white,  so  troubled,  so  drawn,  that  I  rushed 
towards  him  with  outstretched  hands,  exclaiming : 

"  My  poor  boy,  what  has  happened?" 

Silently  and  quite  feebly,  as  if  all  strength  had  gone 
from  him,  he  sank  into  a  chair  and  looked  at  me  dumbly 
with  the  expression  of  an  animal  wounded  unto  death. 

303 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A  PRINCESS 

Then,  in  a  broken,  stupefied  fashion,  while  his  eyes 
gazed  aimlessly  through  the  open  terrace  windows,  he 
told  me  the  sad  story  of  the  past  few  days. 

I  gathered  therefrom  that  the  baby  had  sickened  from 
diphtheria,  and  that  the  distracted  foster-mother  had 
written  to  Nadeje,  imploring  her  to  come  at  once.  By 
some  fatality  the  letter  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the 
girl's  father,  who,  oblivious  of  his  daughter's  despair, 
had  turned  her  from  his  house.  She,  broken-hearted 
and  almost  mad  with  pain  and  anxiety,  started  at  once 

for  R ,  where  she  arrived  only  in  time  to  see  her 

little  one  die.  Weakened  by  fatigue  and  sorrow,  she 
had  caught  the  dreadful  disease,  and  that  very  morn- 
ing, at  dawn,  had  breathed  her  last. 

I  listened  to  all  this,  sorrowfully  and  mutely,  for  I  was 
unable  to  find  words  of  consolation  adequate  to  so 
great  a  trial,  and  when  Fe"dor  asked  me  whether  I  would 
care  to  see  her  again,  I  followed  him  wearily  up-stairs 
to  a  pretty  pink-and- white  room,  where  the  young  mother 
lay  on  a  bed  with  the  fair  head  of  her  baby  pillowed  on 
her  breast.  Armfuls  of  flowers  had  been  thrown  across 
the  coverlet  and  dropped  on  to  the  floor;  in  the  cold 
hands  of  the  dead  girl  a  cluster  of  white  roses  had  been 
placed,  and  the  cushions  on  which  her  charming  head 
was  reposing  were  covered  with  snowy  violets.  As  I 
knelt  beside  this  fragrant  couch  of  blossoms  and  verdure, 
I  thought  of  the  many  useless  lives  which  are  spared 
while  hers  had  been  taken  in  all  its  beauty  and  strength 
just  when  her  dreams  and  hopes  were  about  to  be  ful- 
filled. 

F6dor  had  implored  me  to  remain  with  him  for  the 
funeral,  which  was  to  take  place  on  the  morrow.  I  will 
say  nothing  of  those  long  hours  which  he  and  I  spent 
in  the  sunny  villa  over  which  death  had  spread  its 
gloom.  We  hardly  ventured  to  speak  to  each  other,  for 

304 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

fear  of  breaking  down,  and  I  cannot  remember  having 
ever  before  or  since  lived  through  such  pathetic,  tragic 
moments. 

The  slow,  melancholy  day  wore  on.  The  clock  ticked 
tediously  in  the  room  where  we  sat  together.  Outside 
the  waves  sparkled  in  the  rays  of  the  setting  sun.  The 
fragrant  air  blowing  over  the  gardens  carried  to  us  the 
perfumes  of  flowers  and  of  the  sea.  They  brought  us 
food,  but  we  could  not  take  it. 

At  last,  night  came  down,  and  the  darkness  was  a 
relief.  Worn  out  in  body,  I  slumbered  where  I  sat, 
awakening  in  the  early  morning  with  that  heavy, 
stunned  feeling  of  anguish  which  follows  a  sudden 
sorrow.  When  I  opened  my  eyes  I  was  alone,  and 
with  surprise  I  heard  the  howling  of  the  wind  and  the 
beating  of  heavy  rain  against  the  casements.  During 
my  short  sleep  one  of  those  terrible  storms  so  common 
in  those  parts  had  swept  down  from  the  mountains, 
and  it  seemed  to  me  now  as  if  nature  itself  were  weeping 
for  the  dead.  The  scene  had  entirely  changed.  Bois- 
terous gusts  drove  the  waves  in  frothy  masses  against 
the  foot  of  the  cliffs.  A  thick  veil  of  mist  shrouded  the 
bay,  and  the  heavens  were  overcast  with  greenish-gray 
clouds. 

I  cannot,  even  now,  remember  that  morning  without 
shuddering.  It  was  so  dreary  and  so  very  sad,  this 
funeral  of  mother  and  babe,  carried  to  their  last  resting- 
place  in  this  chilly,  misty,  stormy  day.  The  moaning 
wind  scattered  the  flowers  on  the  white-draped  coffin, 
and  the  ceaseless  rain  drenched  the  reddish  mould  of  the 
little  cemetery. 

I  see  yet  the  tiny  church,  half  hidden  by  dripping 

ilex-trees,  the   wet  grass    on  which  we    stood,  while 

the  humble   village  priest   sprinkled  the  grave  with 

Holy  Water.     I  hear  the  piteous  cry  of  agony  wrung 

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THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

from  FSdor's  lips  as  the  first  spadeful  of  earth  rattled 
on  the  coffin !  With  a  gesture  of  agonized  supplication, 
of  heart-breaking  pain,  he  stretched  his  arms  out  de- 
spairingly and  then  fell  forward  senseless  on  the  sodden 
ground. 

For  many  hours  he  did  not  recover  consciousness, 
and  when  at  length  he  did  so  the  village  doctor,  whom 
I  had  called  in,  was  evidently  at  his  wits'  ends  to  find 
a  name  for  his  malady.  I  summoned  the  best  medical 
men  from  the  nearest  city,  and  they  confirmed  my  fears. 
Fe"dor  was  dying  of  meningitis. 

The  next  four  days  were  anxious  and  terrible.  The 
unfortunate  man  lay  motionless  in  an  almost  continual 
state  of  coma,  never  looking  up  or  speaking,  but  often 
holding  my  hand  in  his  with  the  clinging  tenacity  of  a 
sick  child.  I  hardly  left  him  day  or  night,  for  as  soon 
as  I  withdrew  my  fingers,  were  it  ever  so  gently,  he  be- 
came restless  and  delirious.  He  slept  little,  and  when 
he  awoke  from  occasional  snatches  of  rest  he  fell  into 
comatose  apathy  again — apathy  from  which  nothing 
could  rouse  him.  I  knew  that  there  was  no  chance 
of  recovery,  and  yet  I  hoped  still  against  hope,  and 
the  physicians  and  myself  did  all  in  our  power  to  save 
him. 

At  last  the  end  came.  On  the  fifth  day  after  Nadeje's 
funeral,  still  lying  in  that  dreadful  silence,  he  said,  sud- 
denly, in  a  scarcely  audible  voice : 

"It  will  soon  be  over  now,  and  you  will  be  released 
from  all  this  worry." 

I  stooped  over  him  and  answered,  softly : 

"Do  not  say  that;  you  may  get  well  yet." 

The  pallor  of  his  face  grew  greater  still  as  he  feebly 
pressed  my  fingers. 

"It  is  better  so,"  he  murmured,  "better  that  I  should 
go  now,  while  your  hand  is  holding  mine."  Then  he 

306 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

added,  with  a  childlike  appeal  in  his  quavering,  breath- 
less utterance :  "  Promise  me  not  to  leave  me." 

My  eyes  swam  with  tears  as  I  heard  him.  "No,  I 
will  not  leave  you,  not  for  a  moment,  while  you  need 
me.  Have  you  so  little  faith  in  me  that  you  doubt  it?" 

"I  have  caused  you  nothing  but  pain  and  trouble," 
he  said,  so  faintly  that  I  could  hardly  catch  the  words. 
Then,  with  a  sudden  and  surprising  energy  in  one  so 
weak,  he  raised  himself  on  his  pillows  and  looked  at 
the  glory  of  the  rising  sun  which  streamed  through 
the  open  windows  and  over  the  bed,  a  beautiful  smile 
beamed  over  his  thin,  emaciated,  but  still  handsome 
face,  a  deep  sigh  struggled  from  his  breast  and  es- 
caped his  white  lips,  and  he  fell  gently  back  into  my 
arms. 

I  closed  the  dark-fringed  eyelids,  gazed  for  a  moment 
at  the  countenance  so  peaceful  in  death,  then,  laying 
my  head  down  on  the  bed,  I  knelt  beside  him.  How 
long  I  remained  there  I  never  knew.  I  was  aroused  by 
the  physicians  coming  for  their  morning  inspection,  and 
I  let  them  lead  me  into  the  next  room.  Then  for  many 
hours  all  grew  dark  about  me. 

The  past  months  of  fatigue  and  anxiety  and  over- 
strain of  mind  had  done  their  work,  and,  now  that  my 
task  was  accomplished,  I  succumbed  to  an  overwhelm- 
ing lassitude  and  weariness. 

Thanks  to  the  strength  of  my  constitution,  I  recov- 
ered very  quickly,  and  as  soon  as  F6dor's  funeral  was 
over  I  sailed  for  Madeira,  where  I  was  to  rejoin  my 
Empress.  The  idea  of  returning  at  once  to  the  world 
was  noxious  to  me,  for  I  needed  calm  and  peace,  and 
especially  her  presence,  which  to  me  was  always  the 
best  of  panaceas,  arid  it  was  only  at  the  beginning  of 
the  next  winter  that  I  returned  home. 

307 


CHAPTER  XVII 

"  On  some  his  vigorous  judgments  light. 
In  that  dread  pause  'twixt  day  and  night — 

Life's  closing  twilight  hour; 
Round  some,  ere  yet  they  meet  their  doom, 
Is  shed  the  silence  of  the  tomb, 

The  eternal  shadows  lower." 

THE  Emperor  and  Empress  had  just  retired,  but 
many  members  of  the  court  were  still  scattered  about 
here  and  there  in  the  dazzlingly  lighted  rooms  of  the 
palace,  discussing  the  various  events  of  the  court  ball, 
while  the  strains  of  the  last  waltz  of  the  Hof-Kapelle 
floated  on  the  perfumed  air. 

As  we  stood  for  a  moment  in  the  crowded  throne- 
room —  Karl,  Frederick,  and  myself  —  we  appeared  to 
attract  an  unusual  amount  of  attention.  Fred,  who 
had  arrived  a  few  days  before,  was  arrayed  in  the  full 
dress  of  a  Scottish  laird — with  kilt,  claymore,  and  tar- 
tan— which  might  have  accounted  for  the  unwonted 
curiosity  displayed,  while  Karl,  whose  embroidered 
dolman  was  covered  with  decorations,  looked,  it  is  true, 
handsomer,  and  of  yet  more  commanding  presence 
than  was  his  wont.  Still,  all  this  very  marked  if  cour- 
teously repressed  attention  puzzled  me.  My  husband's 
features  bore  a  marked  expression  of  haughtiness  and 
a  blase  look  which,  coupled  with  the  strange  shiftiness 
of  his  blue  eyes,  made  his  face  more  than  ever  unat- 
tractive to  me.  A  glance  at  him  always  sufficed  to 
convince  that  he  was  a  man  who  could  not  be  trusted, 
and  who  might  become  a  very  ugly  customer  on  the 

308 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

slightest  provocation — as  those  who  served  under  his 
orders  had  bitter  occasion  to  know.  I  was  aware,  of 
course,  that  I  was  looking  my  best,  always  a  pleasant 
feeling,  even  to  the  least  vain  of  women.  My  court  - 
mantle,  which  was  attached  to  my  shoulders  by  dia- 
mond fleur-de-lys,  was  of  rose-leaf  velvet,  edged  with  a 
thick  garland  of  natural  white  lilac.  The  skirt  and 
corsage  were  of  old  Venetian  point,  strewn  with  clusters 
of  lilac,  and  my  neck  and  arms  were  blazing  with  dia- 
monds, pink  pearls,  and  rubies.  I  turned  to  speak  to 
Karl's  greatest  friend  and  confidant,  Count  Paul,  a 
tall,  slight,  dark-eyed  lieutenant  in  the  guards,  who  for 
the  last  year  or  two  had  been  my  husband's  constant 
companion  and  crony,  besides  being  his  favorite  aide- 
de-camp. 

"I  wish  we  were  well  out  of  this,"  I  exclaimed,  draw- 
ing my  train  aside  to  allow  a  score  of  officers  to  pass; 
"only  it  is  too  early  yet  to  go  to  bed." 

"  Why  don't  we  go  and  have  some  supper,"  said  Fred ; 
smiling.  "The  buffet  here  is  not  what  I  admire  most." 

"  All  right,"  replied  Karl,  "that's  what  I  call  a  sensible 
proposal.  You  had  better  drive  with  Muzzi  in  her  car- 
riage, Fred;  I  will  follow  in  yours,  with  Paul,  and  we 
shall  be  there  almost  as  soon  as  you  will." 

"I  had  rather  you  would  come  with  us,  Karl,"  I  in- 
terposed, hastily. 

"  What  for?"  he  replied,  peevishly.  "  Can't  Fred  take 
care  of  you  ?  Please  do  as  I  ask  you,  and  don't  regret 
our  presence  too  much,  for  your  train  would  be  ruth- 
lessly crushed." 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders  as  we  turned  to  go,  and  we 
rapidly  passed  through  the  long  suite  of  salons,  the  white 
walls  of  which  were  illuminated  by  myriads  of  wax 
candles,  in  rock-crystal  sconces  and  candelabra.  Groups 
of  pink  and  white  blossoms  backed  by  tall,  feathery 

309 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

palms  and  fragrant  mimosa,  filled  every  corner,  and 
were  tastefully  arranged  in  front  of  the  countless  mirrors 
which  stood  between  the  long  rows  of  windows. 

Reaching  the  palace  hall  at  last,  we  stopped  a  mo- 
ment to  talk  to  Count  K.,  who  wore  a  blue- velvet, 
fur-bordered  Attila  thickly  covered  with  jewels,  as  were 
the  hilt  of  his  damascened  sword,  the  aigrette  on  his 
kalp&k,  and  the  heavy  gold  belt  which  encircled  his  yet 
slender  waist.  He  looked  every  inch  what  he  was,  a 
soldier  as  well  as  a  great  statesman,  and  it  seemed 
but  just  and  fair  that  he  should  hold  as  he  did  one  of 
the  highest  positions  in  the  land.  Looking  up  at  him 
with  a  smile,  I  asked  him  if  he  were  not  very  glad  that 
the  ball  was  over. 

"  You  must  feel  so  warm  in  all  your  splendor,"  I  added, 
touching  the  fur-lined  dolman  which  hung  by  golden 
cords  from  his  left  shoulder  with  the  tips  of  my  fingers. 

"  Indeed  I  do ;  but  don't  let  us  talk  about  so  uninter- 
esting a  subject  as  myself.  Allow  me  to  congratulate 
you  on  your  appearance.  You  are  the  very  personifi- 
cation of  youth  and  loveliness." 

"Fie,  Excellency!  What  a  flatterer  you  are!  I  am 
afraid  that  I  shall  have  to  avoid  you  in  future." 

"You  know  that  I  mean  what  I  say,  always,"  mur- 
mured the  old  courtier,  as  he  offered  me  his  arm  to  lead 
me  to  my  carriage,  which  had  just  been  announced. 

"I  must  believe  you  then,"  I  rejoined,  laughingly,  as 
I  entered  my  brougham,  followed  by  Fred.  While  the 
equipage  was  moving  off  at  a  sharp  trot,  I  thrust  my 
head  out  of  the  window,  and  with  the  freedom  of  an 
already  long  acquaintance  I  kissed  my  hand  to  the 
Count,  who  was  still  standing  bareheaded  on  the  marble 
steps  of  the  portico. 

The  lights  from  the  carriage  lamps  and  the  street  gas 
were  strong  enough  to  let  Fred  see  my  features  perfectly 

310 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

and  I  was  vexed  with  myself  to  observe  that  he  noticed 
how  all  my  gayety  and  animation  dropped  like  a  mask, 
and  that  I  lay  back  in  the  carriage  with  a  deep  and 
weary  sigh. 

"What  is  the  matter,  Muzzi?"  he  asked,  taking  in  his 
own  my  hand,  which  lay  idly  in  my  lap,  and  bending 
his  handsome  head  to  look  into  my  face.  "Are  you 
tired?  Has  something  pained  you?" 

His  voice  was  not  very  steady,  and  his  eyes  betrayed 
a  depth  of  tenderness  which  disagreeably  startled  me. 
I  unconsciously  drew  myself  up,  and,  turning  away  my 
head,  I  replied  in  a  quiet  tone,  the  effect  of  which  I  fear 
was  spoiled  by  the  involuntary  flutter  of  my  hand  as  I 
withdrew  it  from  his  clasp : 

"Yes,  I  suppose  I  am  tired.  This  evening  has  been 
dreadfully  long,  and  court  balls  are  always  a  bore/' 

He  evidently  understood  that  I  did  not  choose  to  men- 
tion the  true  cause  of  my  listlessness,  and  for  the  re- 
mainder of  our  short  drive  he. remained  mute. 

On  alighting  at  S.  's  famous  restaurant,  Fred  at  once 
asked  for  a  private  salon,  and  we  were  ushered  into 
a  small  but  eminently  comfortable  room,  which  was 
thrown  open  with  a  flourish  by  the  head-waiter.  As  the 
door  closed  upon  us  I  unwound  the  lace  scarf  which 
protected  my  head  and  threw  off  my  long  wrap.  I  was 
just  approaching  the  mirror  to  arrange  the  curls  on  my 
forehead,  which  had  been  slightly  ruffled  by  the  weight 
of  my  tiara,  when  there  was  an  audible  scuffle  in 
the  passage  outside  the  door,  and  the  voice  of  the  Ober- 
Kellner  was  heard  to  exclaim : 

"You  must  not  enter;  this  room  is  occupied.  I  re- 
spectfully beg  pardon,  but  I  cannot  let  any  one  pass." 

We  looked  at  each  other  perfectly  amazed,  for  it  was 
my  husband  who  replied,  in  angry  tones : 

"  Don't  talk  such  trash.  It's  my  wife  who  is  in  there, 

311 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

Robert."  At  this  moment  Fred,  hastily  opening  the 
door,  interposed  himself  between  three  or  four  waiters 
and  my  husband,  saying  with  intense  astonishment : 

"Good  Heavens!  my  dear  fellow,  what  is  all  this 
about?" 

"Only  that  these  good  people  here  imagine  that  I  will 
be  de  trap  between  you  and  my  wife,"  replied  Karl,  with 
a  sneer,  rudely  brushing  past  Fred  and  entering  the 
room. 

He  was  evidently  much  annoyed,  and  for  once  not 
quite  without  cause ;  but  seeing  the  frown  on  the  young 
Scotchman's  brow,  he  deemed  it  more  politic  to  turn  the 
whole  thing  into  a  joke,  and,  flinging  himself  down  on 
a  sofa,  he  added,  with  a  cynical  laugh : 

"Oh!  our  waiters  are  well  trained  here,  and  it  would 
be  a  wellnigh  hopeless  task  for  a  man,  whoever  he  might 
be,  to  attempt  following  his  wife  too  closely — that  is,  if 
husbands  cared  to  go  to  so  much  trouble  nowadays." 

This  last  remark  fell  rather  flat.  I  had  taken  up  an 
evening  paper,  which  I  pretended  to  be  reading  with 
absorbing  interest.  Fred  had  left  the  room  to  order 
the  supper,  and  Count  Paul  was  looking  out  of  the 
window,  making  a  great  show  in  his  embarrassment 
of  admiring  the  file  of  equipages  leaving  the  Grand 
Opera-House  on  the  other  side  of  the  broad  thorough- 
fare. 

A  few  minutes  later  we  sat  down  to  a  dainty  supper, 
at  a  small  square  table  decked  with  mousseline  glasses, 
Dresden  china,  and  shallow  bowls  of  Russian  violets 
and  narcissi.  There  was  apparently  no  trace  left  of  the 
painful  impression  caused  by  the  waiter's  unfortunate 
blunder,  and  the  conversation  soon  became  animated, 
and  even  pleasant. 

"  What  a  quantity  of  charming  women  there  were  to- 
night at  the  palace!"  said  I.  "Did  you  notice  Lady 

312 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A   PRINCESS 

L.,  Fred?  I  think  she  is  the  loveliest  Englishwoman 
that  I  ever  met." 

"She  is  certainly  very  fine- looking/'  replied  Fred, 
"  but  I  do  not  admire  her  greatly.  I  never  fancy  those 
Juno-like  women." 

"  You  don't  admire  her,  eh?  Well,  we  all  know  that 
your  ideal  woman  is  of  a  very  different  type,"  snarled 
Karl,  with  a  quick  glance  of  scarcely  veiled  imperti- 
nence at  me.  But  I  took  care  to  give  no  sign  of  ap- 
plying his  remark  to  myself. 

"  Lady  L.  is  an  admirable  creature  in  every  sense 
of  the  word,"  continued  my  husband;  "besides  which 
she  is  one  of  the  best-dressed  and  most  graceful  women 
in  our  English  colony." 

"  I  think  one  can  hardly  say  that/'  I  could  not  help 
replying.  "  For  instance,  her  gown  to-night  was  quite 
unsuited  to  the  occasion.  It  would  have  been  well 
enough  for  an  ordinary  ball,  but  it  was  neither  worthy 
of  a  court  reception  nor  of  the  splendid  jewels  she  saw- 
fit  to  wear  with  it." 

"You  are  very  critical,  Muzzi,  and  very  unjustly 
so.  I  must  say  that  I  admire  the  comparative  sim- 
plicity and  modesty  of  that  gown  extremely.  It  is 
quite  refreshing  to  meet  a  woman  for  once  in  a  way  who 
does  not  appear  in  public  in  the  super-chic  garb  so  fash- 
ionable now,"  he  added,  glancing  significantly  at  my 
laces  and  lilacs. 

His  intention  of  teasing  me  was  so  patent  that 
Count  Paul  attempted  to  change  the  conversation. 
Karl  was  determined,  however,  to  make  me  pay  for 
the  ridicule  with  which  he  had  been  covered  at  the 
moment  of  his  ludicrously  sensational  arrival  at  the 
restaurant,  and,  unceremoniously  interrupting  his 
friend,  he  exclaimed: 

"  You  women  of  the  world  ought  to  be  told  the  truth 

313 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

sometimes.  One  blushes  for  you  when  one  sees  you 
wearing  dresses  that  would  be  considered  overdone 
even  for  a  queen  of  the  comic  opera,  and  flirting  nine- 
teen to  the  dozen.  How  singular  it  is  that  you  should, 
all  of  you,  insist  upon  imitating  the  ways  and  cus- 
toms of  the  most  notorious  and  most  extravagant  of 
characters ! " 

I  raised  my  eyes  from  my  plate  and  looked  my  hus- 
band steadily  in  the  face.  I  felt  myself  becoming  a 
shade  paler,  but,  fortunately,  my  voice  was  perfectly 
calm,  although  I  could  not  help  there  being  a  ring  of 
contempt  in  it  as  I  said : 

"Spare  your  blushes,  my  dear  Karl;  they  are  few 
and  far  between,  and  therefore  of  untold  value.  If 
there  really  are  women,  worthy  of  the  name,  who  de- 
base themselves  by  imitating  the  ladies  you  refer  to 
with  so  much  good  taste,  they  probably  do  so  with  a 
view  of  pleasing  men  like  you,  who  are,  as  is  well 
known,  very  fervent  admirers  of  the  genus  you  men- 
tioned just  now." 

There  was  a  burst  of  laughter  at  his  expense,  while 
he  gnawed  his  fair  mustache  viciously.  He  would,  I 
know,  have  turned  upon  me  with  a  few  more  of  his 
sarcasms  had  it  not  been  for  the  fact  that  the  head- 
waiter,  approaching  on  tiptoe,  presented  to  him  a  card 
with  some  lines  in  pencil  scribbled  across  it. 

"Of  course,  of  course!"  he  exclaimed,  and,  jumping 
to  his  feet,  he  hastily  whispered  to  me  that  Grand- 
Duke  A.,  who  was  supping  in  the  neighboring  salon 
with  the  Muscovite  ambassador,  requested  permission 
to  join  us.  A  few  minutes  later  the  two  Russians  had 
taken  their  places  at  our  table.  Fred  relinquished  his 
seat  on  my  right-hand  to  the  Grand-Duke,  and  Count 
Paul  vacated  the  chair  on  my  left  for  the  benefit  of 
his  Excellency,  Count  von  M. 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF   A   PRINCESS 

Almost  at  once  the  Grand-Duke  began  to  complain, 
in  his  melodious,  high-bred  voice,  of  the  terrible  cold 
which  had  set  in  since  morning. 

"Really,  if  this  continues,  I  am  afraid  that  we  shall 
have  but  a  poor  time  to-morrow,"  he  said,  plaintively, 
alluding  to  an  imperial  hunt  which  was  to  be  given 
in  his  honor  on  the  next  day.  "  Our  systems  cannot 
stand  such  severe  weather.  Do  you  mean  to  tell  me, 
Muzzi,  that  you  will  muster  courage  to  accompany 
us  under  such  uninviting  circumstances?" 

"Oh  yes/'  I  replied,  "I  am  very  fond  of  hunting, 
both  a-horse  and  a-foot;  it  breaks  the  monotony  of 
one's  existence." 

Karl,  who  seemed  to  have  fallen  into  one  of  his  mood- 
iest fits,  looked  up  from  the  ortolan  he  was  delicately 
dismembering  and  exclaimed,  impatiently: 

"Women  are  utterly  out  of  place  in  that  kind  of 
sport,  and  are  apt  to  bring  men  into  peril,  for  no  man 
can  possibly  take  care  of  himself  while  he  has  the 
safety  of  a  woman  to  attend  to." 

With  which  enunciation  of  doctrine  he  helped  himself 
to  a  glass  of  kummel  from  the  square  bottle  at  his  elbow. 

"Oh,  I  know,"  he  continued,  "there  are  people  who 
believe  in  the  possibility  of  sport  and  flirtation  hunting 
in  couples,  but  I  do  not.  In  my  humble  opinion,  women 
who  take  up  that  line  of  thing  are  unpardonable ;  they 
soon  become  as  horsy  as  ourselves,  and  I  call  it  more 
than  silly  to  attempt  to  shoot  big  game  while  dressed 
up  like  figures  from  the  carnival,  and  to  follow  us  in  the 
furrows  with  a  walk  that  is  an  absurd  cross  between  a 
swing  and  a  strut!" 

"How  very  ungallant  you  are!"  said  the  Grand- 
Duke,  "and  how  very  erroneous  in  your  ideas!  Why 
do  you  not  scold  him,  Muzzi?" 

"  Que  voulez-vous  il-y-tient!  A  few  minutes  ago  he 

3J5 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

attacked  our  costumes  and  our  ways,  with  quite  un- 
necessary fervor.  I  am  beginning  to  think  that  he 
has  mistaken  his  vocation ;  he  should  have  been  a  cou- 
turier or  a  moralist!  Moreover,  his  last  sentence  is 
already  known  to  me,  for  I  heard  it  this  very  afternoon 
from  the  august  lips  of  the  aged  Archduchess,  whom 
we  irreverently  call '  Madame  Minerve '  at  court.  Karl 
is  a  good  and  dutiful  Telemachus,  eagerly  absorbing 
and  repeating  the  maxims  of  this  sage  petticoated 
mentor!" 

There  was  another  laugh,  and  Karl,  completely 
routed,  relapsed  into  a  sulky  silence.  I,  however,  was 
beginning  to  feel  the  effects  of  his  singularly  ill-timed 
bad  humor  and  of  his  unjustifiable  behavior,  and  my 
temper — always  difficult  to  control,  as  I  have  confessed 
before  several  times — was  getting  slowly  the  better  of 
all  my  good  resolutions. 

With  a  totally  mirthless  laugh,  I  therefore  could  not 
resist  the  temptation  of  picking  up  the  gauntlet  which 
he  had  so  imprudently  cast  down  at  my  feet,  and,  ner- 
vously twisting  my  rings  around  my  fingers,  I  contin- 
ued, coolly : 

"  Let  me  give  you  the  tenor  of  the  delightful  conver- 
sation which  I  had  with  '  Madame  Minerve '  this  very 
afternoon.  Her  entree  en  matiere  was  worthy  a  great 
tactician,  for  she  went  straight  to  the  point,  I  can  as- 
sure you! 

" '  There  is  nothing  so  hateful  or  so  disgusting  as  an 
unsexed  woman!'  she  declared  to  me  with  a  suddenness 
which  was  amusing,  ominously  glowering  at  me  through 
the  glasses  which  she  had  planted  upon  her  haughty 
nose. 

"'May  I  venture  to  inquire  whether  your  Imperial 
Highness  intends  this  remark  for  me?'  I  replied,  meek- 
ly, and  with  a  heroic  effort  to  control  my  merriment, 

316 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

for  a  tall  pier-glass,  which  stood  directly  opposite  me, 
revealed  my  image  to  perfection,  and  my  small  stature 
and  youth  did  not  appear  to  me  at  that  instant  to  look 
much  like  the  typical  virago. 

"'Yes,  my  remark  is  intended  for  you,  and  I  cannot 
but  regret  to  see  that  you  are  adopting  a  decidedly  horsy 
and  sportive  demeanor.  Your  love  for  the  hunt  and  the 
chase  will  end  by  changing  you  into  one  of  the  beings 
I  was  just  thinking  of.  Ah!  dear  me,  to  think  of  you, 
young  and  dainty  as  you  are  now,  and  then  to  realize 
that  you  will  soon  be  transformed  into  one  of  those  wom- 
en who  use  the  slang  of  the  stables  and  of  the  race- 
course whenever  they  open  their  mouths,  who  delight 
in  bruising  their  tender  flesh  with  the  recoil  of  a  gun, 
who  swear  and  smoke,  and  walk  in  a  shocking  way 
which  is  an  unhappy  mixture  of  a  swing  and  a  strut.' 
.  ..  .  I  beg  to  attract  your  attention  to  the  fact,  mes- 
seigneurs,  that  the  'swing  and  strut'  are  her  own  ex- 
pression, not  Karl's ;  I  am  also  sorry  to  confess  that  at 
this  juncture  I  burst  into  a  peal  of  laughter  which  was 
as  irreverent  as  it  was  uncontrollable.  Extremely  of- 
fended, the  Archduchess  rose  from  her  chair  and  ad- 
vanced towards  me  as  if  she  were  on  the  point  of  an- 
nihilating me. 

'"Laugh,  my  good  child/  she  said,  with  withering 
scorn,  '  but  remember  that  I  have  warned  you.  Upon 
my  word,  I  do  not  know  what  has  come  to  women  lately. 
If  I  were  your  husband,  I  would  lock  you  up  in  a  room 
and  keep  you  there  until  you  mended  your  manners.' 
And  with  a  thoroughly  dramatic  gesture  of  horror  she 
swept  out  of  the  room,  leaving  me  to  digest  her  tirade  as 
best  I  might.  I  do  not  like  the  Archduchess,  of  course, for 
she  is,  without  a  shadow  of  a  doubt,  the  most  overbear- 
ing, narrow-minded,  sarcastic,  and  unkind  old  woman 
whom  it  has  ever  been  my  unhappy  luck  to  encounter, 

317 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

and  I  am  forced  to  add  that  she  dislikes  me  just  as  much 
as  I  do  her.  I  also  have  a  temper  of  my  own,  as  you 
all  know,  and  I  most  imprudently  have  displayed  it 
on  more  than  one  occasion  in  her  presence,  with  the  re- 
sult that  she  believes  me  to  be,  I  think,  some  kind  of  an 
untamed  little  animal  in  need  of  an  occasional  lash  of 
the  whip.  That  I  do  not  take  very  kindly  to  these 
periodical  remonstrances  goes  without  saying,  and, 
moreover,  her  disapproval  of  any  of  my  actions  makes 
me  all  the  more  eager  to  persevere  in  the  very  course 
condemned  by  her.  I  may,  therefore,  declare  most 
solemnly  and  truthfully  here  that  my  enthusiasm 
for  sports  of  all  description,  my  love  for  breakneck 
rides,  four-in-hand  driving,  shooting  big  game,  swim- 
ming, fencing,  et  tutti  quanti,  is,  if  not  begotten — for, 
alas!  alack!  it  was  born  in  me — at  least  fostered  and 
strengthened  by  her  opposition  and  by  her  scathing 
criticisms.  I  do  not  wish  to  deny  that  the  Archduchess 
is  a  maUresse  femme,  with  spirit  enough  for  a  hundred 
cavalry  soldiers.  Cabinet  ministers  are  as  babes  in  her 
hands,  and  the  entire  court-circle  is  at  her  beck  and 
call.  She  looms  large  and  imposing  on  the  horizon  of 
the  whole  empire,  and  almost  everybody  bows  before 
her  edicts,  for,  although  she  is  not  loved,  her  extreme 
cleverness  and  marked  superiority  of  intellect  make  it 
easy  for  her  to  rule  her  entourage  with  an  unflinching 
sceptre.  Moreover,  she  shares  beyond  doubt  Sgana- 
relle's  opinion  to  the  effect  that  'cinq  ou  six  coups  de 
batons  ne  font  que  ragaillardir  I'affection.'  But,  with 
lamentable  short  -  sightedness,  I  decline  to  share  her 
views  in  the  matter,  and  I  set  up  my  back  defiantly, 
notwithstanding  the  fact  that  my  lord  and  master  here 
present  chances  to  be  one  of  her  favorites  and  is  as  mal- 
leable as  wax  in  her  hands." 

"  C'est  bien  fait  pour  toi,"  murmured  the  Grand-Duke 

318 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

to  Karl,  who  was  staring  at  me  in  positive  amazement 
this  time,  for  I  had  seldom  before  accorded  sufficient 
importance  to  his  words  to  answer  him  in  kind. 

Soon  afterwards  the  party  broke  up,  and  I  drove  home 
alone,  closely  followed  by  Fred's  brougham,  in  which 
he  and  Karl  were  probably  sitting  side  by  side  in  utter 
silence,  for  there  was  storm  in  the  air,  and  certainly 
neither  of  them  would  dream  of  unbending  sufficiently 
for  small-talk. 

What  an  altogether  disagreeable  night  this  had 
proved  to  be !  I  shuddered  slightly  beneath  my  furs  as 
I  thought  of  a  little  incident,  and  by  no  means  an  un- 
foreseen one,  which  had  taken  place  much  earlier  in  the 
evening. 

It  seemed  as  if  I  never  could  hear  again  without  pain 
the  soft,  lilting  strains  of  the  beautiful  waltz  which 
floated  in  through  the  foliage-garlanded  portals  of  the 
small  salon  where  the  tall  figure  of  the  greatest  person- 
age in  the  empire  had  towered  above  me. 

"Is  this  your  last  word,  little  Muzzi?" 

"It  is,  sir;  I  am  touched  and — oh,  yes,  also  deeply 
flattered — by  what  you  have  just  told  me,  but  my  de- 
cision in  the  matter  is  irrevocable  and  will  never  alter." 

We  spoke  in  English,  as  we  often  did,  and  when  I  had 
said  my  say  the  silence  was  broken  only  by  the  rustle 
of  my  court-train  brushing  the  floor  in  a  deep  courtesy. 
Suddenly  he  bent  his  still  remarkably  fine  head  with 
a  reverence  and  respect  which  showed  plainly  that  his 
intentions  were  neither  flirtatious  nor  bantering,  and, 
imprisoning  my  left  hand  within  his  own,  he  kissed  it 
tenderly  and  gently. 

"You  are  a  good,  honest  child,  and  I  am  a  brute  to 
have  believed  that  you  could  be  like  other  women. 
Remember  that,  come  what  may,  I  am,  and  will  always 
remain,  your  friend,  your  best  friend,  for  weal  or  woe. 

319 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

And  now  let  us  go  back  to  the  world  and  leave  what 
might  have  been  paradise  behind  us." 

Ready  tears  had  filled  my  eyes  at  that  moment.  I 
was  deeply  and  devotedly  attached  to  him,  but  of  love 
I  had  none  for  him.  Besides,  my  passionate  affection 
for  the  peerless  woman  to  whom  he  belonged  by  right 
would  have  precluded  all  possibility  of  my  listening  to 
a  declaration  of  sentiments  on  his  part  wrhich  would 
have  been  greeted  proudly  and  with  profound  joy  by 
thousands  of  women  far  more  beautiful  than  I  was. 

The  abrupt  stopping  of  the  carriage  roused  me  from 
my  waking  dreams,  and  I  ran  swiftly  up-stairs  to  my 
private  suite,  forgetting  in  my  hurry  to  close  the  door  of 
the  ante-chamber  leading  thereto. 

When  I  had  dismissed  my  women  and  re-entered  my 
bedroom,  wrapped  in  a  loose  batiste  gown,  I  stood  at 
the  door  petrified  with  surprise,  for  there,  facing  me, 
stood  my  husband,  his  broad  shoulder  leaning  against 
the  high  mantel,  and  his  head  held  defiantly  up. 
There  was  a  faint  smile  on  his  lips. 

"May  I  inquire,"  I  said,  quietly,  "to  what  I  am  in- 
debted for  so  flattering  a  tete-h-tete?  This  is  a  strange 
time  of  night  to  transact  business — the  only  existing 
tie  between  us  now." 

"You  must  excuse  my  intrusion,"  he  replied,  with  a 
sudden  courtesy  to  which  my  attitude  compelled  him, 
"but  I  am  vexed  and  disgusted  beyond  description, 
and  I  think  that  it  will  be  wise  if  I  let  you  know  my 
reasons  for  being,  as  I  am,  thrown  out  of  my  habitual 
calmness  and  self-possession." 

"You  do  me  much  honor  in  making  me  your  confi- 
dante, but,  as  I  remarked  before,  the  time  is  ill  chosen." 

"  Never  mind  the  time.  I  want  you  to  explain  to  me 
why  you  try  to  make  my  position  unbearable  at  court 
by  your  caprice  and  your  repellent  behavior  towards  a 

320 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

personage  of  so  exalted  a  rank  that  any  other  woman's 
head  would  be  turned  by  his  admiration." 

I  glided  into  a  low  chair  with  an  apparent  docility 
which,  under  the  circumstances,  both  pleased  and  sur- 
prised me,  and,  leaning  my  head  upon  my  clasped  hands, 
I  looked  inquiringly  at  him. 

"You  must  forgive  me/'  I  said,  slowly,  "if  I  fail  to 
understand  your  meaning.  I  dare  say  I  am  dull  to- 
night. What  are  you  alluding  to?" 

"Simply  to  this.  You  are  a  clever  and  thorough- 
paced woman  of  the  world,  a  great  lady,  and  you  are 
surely  sufficiently  well  versed  in  social  tactics  to  know 
how  to  keep  a  man's  love  at  burning-point,  without  any 
surrender  on  your  part.  But,  instead  of  doing  this,  you 
are,  as  usual,  cold  and  brusque,  allowing  no  possible  loop- 
hole in  your  attitude  for  a  ray  of  hope  which  would  serve 
to  lead  on — well,  we  will  mention  no  names — and  yet 
you  know  that  my  entire  future,  my  whole  ambitions, 
depend  upon  the  favor  of  this  all-powerful  person  whom 
you  choose  to  repulse  so  unwarrantably." 

"What  would  you  have  me  do?" 

"Good  heavens,  Muzzi,  what  a  question  to  ask!  You 
must  be  purposely  trying  to  misunderstand  me." 
.  "  I  am  afraid  that  I  do  understand  you  now,"  I  replied, 
rising  to  my  feet  and  confronting  my  husband.  "Do 
you  mean  to  insinuate  that  I  ought  to  encourage  such 
attentions?  Is  this  your  advice  to  your  wife?" 

"Pray  do  not  jump  at  conclusions.  You  are  not  a 
petite  bourgeoise,  and,  moreover,  you  should  not  talk  so 
crudely." 

"Indeed!"  was  all  I  said ;  but  I  trust  that  the  scorn  in 
my  eyes  intimated  the  rest.  My  contempt  pierced  Karl's 
intense  vanity  and  made  him  wince  and  smart. 

"  Yes,  certainly,  your  words  are  unnecessarily  crude," 
he  repeated,  sullenly  scowling  at  me.     "I  do  not  need 
x  321 


THE  TRIBULATIONS    OF  A   PRINCESS 

to  take  lessons  from  you ;  the  name  I  bear  has  a  lustre 
which  has  until  now  been  among  the  greatest  and  most 
undimmed  in  history." 

"Very  likely/'  I  replied,  trying  to  control  my  anger, 
"  but  your  extraordinarily  azure  blood  does  not  prevent 
you  from  asking  me  in  so  many  words  to  sacrifice  my 
own  feelings,  not  to  mention  my  own  conception  of 
honor,  to  your  boundless  ambition." 

A  fearful  rage  held  him  speechless  for  a  moment; 
then  he  uttered  a  very  ugly  oath,  which  was  an  entirely 
new  departure  from  his  usual  courtesy,  and  exclaimed, 
with  a  positively  ferocious  look : 

"Be  silent,  if  you  cannot  keep  your  words  within 
bounds." 

"  Do  you  suppose  for  an  instant  that  you  can  frighten 
me?"  I  said,  very  quietly.  "We  had  better  not  begin 
to  measure  insults;  my  account  against  you  is  pretty 
heavy,  and  can  never  be  balanced  on  that  score." 

The  quietness  of  my  words  lashed  him  to  a  worse 
fury. 

"By  God!  I  will  be  your  master  yet!"  he  cried,  sav- 
agely, jumping  up  and  attempting  to  seize  me  by  the 
wrist.  "You  shall  learn  to  obey  me,  madame." 

"Take  care  what  you  say,"  I  replied,  without  even 
raising  my  voice,  and  shaking  myself  free  from  his 
grasp.  "  Do  not  try  my  patience  too  far,  or  you  may 
live  to  regret  it.  You  have  always  preferred  the  lowest 
kind  of  company  to  mine.  You  know  how  I  abhor  the 
very  sight  of  you.  Go  back  to  those  who  will  welcome 
such  advice  as  you  would  give  me,  I  say,  and  in  future 
spare  me  scenes  of  this  kind.  If  we  are  to  continue 
to  live  under  the  same  roof,  the  less  we  see  of  each 
other  in  private  the  better." 

He  was  silent,  and  in  a  measure  subdued.  He  knew 
well  that  his  violence  had  been  cowardly,  and  that  by 

322 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

his  covert  advice  he  had  disgraced  both  his  name  and 
his  rank.  For  one  fleeting  moment  he  looked  as  if  he 
felt  ashamed  of  his  unmanly  behavior. 

"Muzzi,"  he  muttered,  in  lower  tones,  "I  would  pre- 
fer you  as  a  companion  if  we  could  understand  each 
other  better." 

A  shudder  of  intense  repulsion  shook  me  from  head 
to  foot,  and  a  feeling  of  absolute  horror  swept  over  me. 

"Spare  me  such  overtures  at  least!  How  dare  you? 
How  dare  you?"  I  continued,  shaking  all  over  with  in- 
dignation. "Now  that  you  have  offered  me  the  worst 
insult  that  a  man  can  pass  upon  the  woman  who  bears 
his  name,  rest  satisfied  and  leave  me." 

I  put  out  my  hand  and  pointed  peremptorily  to  the 
door.  There  was  so  much  suppressed  passion  in  the 
action  that  he  was  momentarily  cowed,  and  muttered, 
sullenly : 

"Do  not  be  so  melodramatic;  you  misunderstand 
me." 

"Misunderstand  you?  No,  indeed,  I  do  not.  I  know 
you  too  well  for  that.  But,  thank  God,  I  am  getting 
accustomed  to  the  knowledge  of  your  sins  and  vices, 
and  they  are  not  the  measure  of  my  duty.  Did  you 
think  that  it  was  for  your  sake  that  I  am  outwardly 
indifferent  to  the  life  you  lead?  Were  it  so,  I  should 
long  ago  have  fled  from  you.  But  how  can  I  expect 
you  to  understand  me?  You,  to  whom  honor  and  self- 
respect  are  mere  empty  words?" 

"  You  talk  very  confidently  of  your  merits,  madame. 
You  forget  that  women  are  changeable.  Wait  until 
you  have  been  really  tempted  before  you  boast  of  your 
many  virtues.  They  will  last  so  long,  and  no  longer!" 

I  really  staggered,  and  I  bit  my  lips  in  order  to  once 
more  master  myself ;  then  I  said,  in  a  voice  hoarse  with 
rage: 

323 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

"  You  are  a  coward,  and  beneath  all  contempt.  Go, 
or  I  shall  truly  become  irresponsible  for  my  actions!" 

Beside  himself  with  frenzy,  my  husband  forgot  that 
he  was  a  gentleman,  and,  advancing  towards  me,  he 
raised  his  arm  as  if  to  strike.  Before  he  could  touch 
me,  however,  with  a  swift  bound  I  reached  the  bell-rope, 
and,  grasping  it,  exclaimed : 

"Leave  this  room  at  once,  or  I  shall  summon  my 
household,  and  never  you  dare  to  enter  my  presence 
unbidden  again,  or  you  will  have  plenty  of  cause  to 
regret  it." 

Afraid  that  this  delightful  matrimonial  scene  should, 
indeed,  become  public,  he  recovered  himself,  bowed  low, 
and  walked  towards  the  door,  but,  as  he  was  about  to 
close  it  behind  him,  he  said,  viciously : 

"  I'll  make  you  far  more  sorry  yet  for  what  you  have 
said  and  done  to-night,  my  fair  lady,  mark  my  words!" 

When  the  noise  of  his  footsteps  had  died  away  in  the 
distance,  I  dropped  on  my  knees  before  the  same  dusky 
wooden  statue  of  the  Madonna  which  had  comforted  my 
childish  sorrows,  and  which  now  hung,  as  of  old,  above 
the  praying-stool  at  the  side  of  my  bed,  and  gave  way 
to  a  fit  of  agonized  weeping — a  rare  occurrence  with  me 
under  any  circumstances.  Never  had  I  felt  so  utterly 
forsaken  and  alone  as  I  now  did,  but  after  a  few  moments 
of  exhaustive  grief  I  rose,  crossed  the  room,  and,  sitting 
down  on  a  pile  of  cushions  in  front  of  the  fire,  I  looked 
aimlessly  into  the  leaping  flames. 

My  years  of  wedded  life,  and  such  a  life,  had  left 
their  mark  upon  me,  and  I  greatly  dreaded  the  hour 
when  my  courage  would  forsake  me,  at  last  and  for 
good  and  all.  Pride  had  hitherto  come  to  my  aid,  but, 
like  metal  slowly  but  deeply  bitten  into  by  a  powerful 
acid,  that  also,  I  feared,  would  soon  give  way  and  leave 
me  without  strength  to  endure. 

324 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

The  even  ticking  of  the  clock  jarred  on  my  nerves, 
and  the  perfume  of  a  basketful  of  strongly  scent- 
ed exotics  on  a  table  near  by  made  me  faint  and  ill. 

4i  4  4  9  *  *  * 

When  I  woke  up  from  a  troubled  sleep  some  hours 
later  it  was  snowing  heavily.  Snow  lay  on  all  the 
streets,  and  the  broad  river  was  freezing  fast.  There 
was  to  be  that  night  a  gala  representation  at  the  grand 
opera  in  honor  of  some  foreign  royalties,  and,  moreover, 
it  was  the  day  of  the  bear-hunt. 

I  lay  drowsily  on  my  pillows,  my  eyes  lingering  with 
a  sense  of  pleasure  on  the  objects  which  surrounded 
me.  My  bedroom  was  of  my  own  designing,  and  I 
was  very  proud  of  it,  for  I  considered  it  to  be  a  great 
success.  The  walls  and  ceiling  were  covered  with  a 
heavy,  dead  white  silken  stuff,  embroidered  with  gar- 
lands of  violets  and  heather;  above  the  alabaster  man- 
tel-piece hung  a  large  mirror  framed  by  a  ronde  of  cu- 
pids  holding  up  a  drapery.  The  dressing-table,  covered 
with  point-lace  over  pale  violet  velvet,  was  littered  with 
platinum-stoppered  bottles  and  platinum-backed  brushes 
studded  with  amethysts.  A  thick  white  carpet  covered 
the  floor,  and  huge  white  bear-skins  were  scattered 
around.  Upon  one  of  them  my  faithful  Ulmer  dog  lay 
at  full  length  in  possession — monarch  of  all  he  sur- 
veyed. On  the  tables  and  cabinets  there  was  a  pro- 
fusion of  flowers  in  iridescent  vases  and  bowls,  and 
through  the  open  doors  of  the  room  beyond  a  sweet 
smell  of  violets  was  wafted  in,  proceeding  from  the 
swimming-bath,  which  was  always  in  readiness  for  me. 
My  maid  moved  noiselessly  about,  drawing  back  the 
curtains,  so  that  from  my  low  bed  I  could  catch 
glimpses  of  the  plants  in  the  winter  -  garden.  With- 
out it  was  a  dark,  bleak  winter's  day,  but  within  it 
was  as  warm  as  summer,  and  mellow  with  soft  color. 

325 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

I  stretched  my  arms  above  my  head  and  yawned 
slightly. 

"Johanna,"  I  said  to  my  Abigail,  "I  do  wish  I  was 
not  obliged  to  get  up;  there's  something  unpleasant 
in  the  air  to-day." 

The  woman  looked  up  with  a  slightly  surprised  ex- 
pression on  her  good-natured  face.  I  knew  she  had 
often  wondered  at  the  comparative  patience  with  which 
I  bore  my  husband's  neglect  and  cruelty.  Therefore 
she,  who  was  devoted  to  me,  hated  him,  and  would 
have  heartily  rejoiced  in  any  misadventure  that  might 
have  befallen  him. 

Her  glance  made  me  smile,  and,  having  partly  recov- 
ered my  usual  mental  elasticity,  I  shook  myself  to- 
gether and  performed  my  toilet  with  unusual  speed. 

After  donning  a  fur-lined  shooting-suit  I  swallowed 
a  hasty  breakfast  and  drove  to  the  station  where  the 
general  rendezvous  had  been  appointed  by  the  Em- 
peror's grand  veneur  to  join  the  hunting-party. 

Before  noon  we  reached  the  thickly  wooded,  high  hills 
where  many  great  brown  bears,  made  ferocious  by  the 
severity  of  the  weather,  had  their  lairs.  The  hunters 
were  scattered  under  the  deep  shadows  of  the  pines, 
cedars,  and  firs ;  the  day  was  still  and  intensely  cold, 
with  no  gleam  of  sunshine.  A  promise  of  more  snow 
lay  hidden  in  the  leaden-hued  clouds,  a  true  sports- 
man's day,  in  fact.  Followed  at  some  distance  by  my 
husband  and  by  Count  Paul,  I  advanced  silently,  wait- 
ing and  reserving  my  fire  for  any  large  beasts  the  Ya- 
gers might  start  and  drive  towards  us  from  the  heights 
above.  We  were  speedily  joined  by  the  head  hunts- 
man, who  whispered  to  Karl  that  he  would  post  me  at 
the  most  favorable  spot,  and  finally  left  me  under  the 
dusky  half-light  made  by  the  snow-covered  boughs. 

It  was  the  beginning  of  the  winter,  just  before  the 

326 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A  PRINCESS 

bears  commence  to  hibernate,  and  when,  on  the  look- 
out for  a  last  good  feed,  they  are  especially  eager  for 
their  quarry. 

Karl,  Count  Paul,  and  I  paused  at  a  place  where  four 
narrow  paths  met,  waiting  and  watching  in  absolute 
silence. 

We  had  been  standing  almost  immovable  for  some 
time,  when  down  one  of  the  dark  drives,  above  which 
the  heavy  branches  met  like  a  black  canopy,  there  came 
rolling  and  swinging  towards  us  a  huge,  shaggy  beast, 
which  probably  would  have  gone  by  without  scenting 
us,  as  we  were  under  the  wind,  had  not  Count  Paul, 
carried  away  by  the  irresistible  impulse  of  all  true 
children  of  Ishmael,  fired  twice  at  it  as  it  reached  a 
spot  scarcely  within  gunshot. 

Neither  bullet  had  entered  a  vital  part,  and  the  ani- 
mal, rendered  frantic  by  pain,  reared  on  its  ungainly 
hind-legs  and  advanced  towards  him,  bent  on  serious 
combat,  as  was  testified  by  its  great,  grinning,  foam- 
ing fangs. 

Instantly  I  fired,  and  this  time  the  shot  struck  nearer 
home,  for,  with  a  tremendous  crash,  the  brute  fell  on 
the  snow,  with  blood  pouring  from  its  jaws  and  writh- 
ing in  agony. 

With  a  singularly  cruel  light  shining  in  his  eyes, 
and  hunting -knife  in  hand,  Count  Paul  ran  towards 
the  prostrate  animal. 

"Take  care!"  yelled  Karl.  "It  is  dangerous  to 
touch  a  wounded  bear." 

But  Paul  heeded  not  the  words.  He  stooped  to 
plunge  his  broad  blade  into  the  bear's  heart.  At  that 
moment  the  dying  brute  gathered  all  its  oozing  strength 
together,  and,  leaping  upon  him,  dashed  him  to  the 
ground,  mauling  him  terribly  with  tooth  and  claw.  In 
a  second  both  Karl  and  I  had  sprung  towards  the  strug- 

327 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

gling  mass  formed  by  the  hunter  and  the  hunted,  and 
the  bear  received  his  coup  de  grace.  Then,  with  much 
difficulty,  we  disengaged  the  young  Count's  tall  form 
from  beneath  the  huge  carcass  of  his  dead  enemy,  and 
laid  him  down  gently  upon  some  fallen  pine-needles 
which  formed  a  kind  of  natural  couch  on  the  side  of  the 
path.  The  wretched  lad  was  deluged  with  blood,  and 
his  face  had  assumed  a  grayish  pallor  which  made  him 
look  like  a  corpse. 

"He  is  dead!"  murmured  Karl,  shudderingly. 

"Nonsense  \"  I  retorted,  hastily,  and,  leaning  over 
the  wounded  man,  I  quickly  cut  away  his  shooting- 
jacket,  his  fur  waistcoat,  and  soft  silk  shirt,  stripping 
him  to  the  waist  in  order  to  judge  how  serious  were 
his  injuries. 

They  were  both  numerous  and  severe,  and  I  realized  at 
once  that  if  we  did  not  obtain  assistance  without  delay 
his  chances  of  recovery  were  indeed  slender.  While  I 
was  trying  to  stanch  the  blood  as  best  I  could  with 
my  handkerchief  and  begging  my  husband  to  run  for 
help,  Count  Paul's  eyes  opened  suddenly  and  fixed 
themselves  with  a  vacant  stare  upon  mine. 

I  placed  my  hand  upon  his  heart.  Its  beatings  were 
weak  and  irregular,  and  an  intensely  cold  wind  which 
had  arisen  was  turning  his  bare  body  to  ice. 

All  was  still  around  us,  with  that  awful  and  impres- 
sive stillness  of  the  great  woods.  Karl  had  run  off 
swiftly  for  help,  and  nothing  was  in  sight  save  the 
gigantic  dead  bear,  which  lay  on  the  blood-soaked  snow. 

If  aid  did  not  come  in  a  few  short  moments,  the  la- 
bored breathing  would  stop,  and  nothing  could  avert 
the  end.  I  shuddered  and  sank  on  one  knee  beside  Paul. 

Soon  the  wintry  day  would  come  to  a  close,  leaving  a 
dusky,  sultry  gloom  to  brood  over  the  loss  of  this  strong 
young  life.  I  was  overcome  by  a  vague  and  sudden 

328 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

awe,  for  the  large,  dark  eyes  of  the  dying  man  had 
softened  with  a  pity  that  did  not  seem  to  be  caused 
by  his  own  terrible  plight. 

"Forgive — the  share — which  I  have  had — in  your — 
your  unhappiness — "  he  gasped.  The  dark-red  blood, 
slowly  welling  out  and  staining  the  bluish  snow,  formed 
a  little  pool  where  I  knelt,  in  spite  of  the  temporary  dress- 
ing which  I  had  improvised  by  tearing  Paul's  shirt  into 
strips.  My  short  fur  coat,  thrown  over  him  to  protect 
him  a  little  from  the  biting  wind,  was  turned  in  places 
to  the  same  ghastly  hue. 

"Hush!"  I  murmured.  "I  know,  and  I  forgive — for 
your  sin  was  chiefly  one  of  heedless  short-sightedness, 
and  without  premeditation.  I  forgive  you  fully,  all 
that  has  already  passed — all  that  may  yet  be  to  come." 

A  wan  smile  of  something  like  derision  hovered  about 
his  ashen  lips.  "Give  me  your  hand,"  he  whispered. 
"It  is  getting  dark  here — dark  forever — "  He  gazed 
upward  and  looked  at  the  dim  green  boughs  above  us 
with  a  wild,  delirious,  appealing  pain,  and  the  white, 
drawn  mouth  moved  in  a  gasping  prayer.  One  last 
breath  shivered  like  a  deep-drawn  sigh  through  his  en- 
tire frame,  a  convulsive  shudder  shook  the  rigid  limbs, 
although  life  seemed  still  to  flicker  faintly,  as  though 
loath  to  leave  forever  this  handsome  being  in  the 
strength  of  his  youth — and  then  he  died. 

When,  a  little  later,  the  huntsmen  who  had  been  beat- 
ing the  woods  above  arrived  upon  the  scene,  led  by 
Karl,  they  found  the  Count  stretched  dead  upon  the 
pine-needle-strewn  snow.  Standing  erect  before  them, 
though  I  was  trembling  from  head  to  foot  with  cold  and 
emotion,  I  said,  in  a  hoarse  voice,  which  sounded  to 
me  as  if  it  were  not  my  own : 

"You  have  come  too  late  to  save  him!" 

329 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

"Frisch  auf,  frisch  auf  mit  raschem  Plug  I 

Frei  vor  dir  liegt  die  Welt; 
Wie  auch  des  Feindes  List  und  Trug 
Uns  rings  umgattert  belt!" 

TWO  days  later  I  met  Fred  at  a  dinner-party  given 
by  Archduchess  M.  At  eight  o'clock  I  went  up  the 
stairs  of  the  archducal  palace,  thinking  as  I  went  that 
really  life  was  not  worth  living.  I  was  sad  and  tired, 
and  still  much  shaken  by  the  incidents  attending  Count 
Paul's  death.  As  I  entered  the  anteroom  and  laid  aside 
my  furs,  the  Flemish  tapestries  which  hung  over  the 
door  leading  to  the  inner  apartments  were  pushed  aside 
and  the  Archduchess  advanced  to  meet  me.  She  was 
clad  in  sweeping  black  laces,  with  a  collar  of  rubies  at 
her  throat,  and  her  slender  figure  looked  wonderfully 
attractive  under  the  brilliant  light  of  the  chandelier, 
while  a  smile  of  genuine  welcome  displayed  her  daz- 
zlingly  white  teeth. 

"How  good  you  are  to  come  in  spite  of  this  fearful 
weather,"  she  exclaimed,  leading  me  into  an  adjoining 
salon,  and  drawing  me  down  on  a  low  ottoman  in  front 
of  the  blazing  hearth.  "Warm  yourself,  my  dear; 
you  must  be  nearly  frozen.  Where  is  your  husband? 
Is  he  not  coming?" 

"I  suppose  he  will  be  here  soon,"  I  answered,  lightly. 
"I  have  not  seen  him  to-day." 

At  that  moment  my  host  came  in  somewhat  precipi- 
tately, and  looked  about  him  as  if  he  feared  to  find  the 
room  already  full  of  people. 

330 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

"Always  late,  you  incorrigible  man!"  exclaimed 
the  Archduchess,  playfully,  shaking  her  finger  at  her 
husband.  He  was  about  to  reply  when  Nicky  E. 
was  announced.  The  other  guests  soon  arrived  in 
rapid  succession.  They  were  Archduke  A.,  the 
English  ambassador,  Prince  G.,  Lord  P.,  and,  lastly, 
my  husband  and  Fred,  who  had  met  him  at  the 
door. 

The  dinner  was  quiet  and  unpretentious,  though  the 
cooking  was  remarkable.  Our  hosts  were  both  gour- 
mets, and  the  wines  were  perfect.  A  wealth  of  tea- 
roses  and  lilies-of-the-valley,  arranged  in  low  Labrador 
jardinieres,  adorned  the  table,  where  egg-shell  china, 
mousseline  glasses,  and  pyramids  of  superb  fruit  were 
tastefully  grouped. 

I  did  not  speak  to  Fred  after  the  first  words  of  greet- 
ing, but  several  times  our  eyes  met.  Indeed,  1  said 
little  to  anybody,  and,  as  often  my  moods  were  very 
silent,  this  attitude  of  mine  attracted  no  remark.  The 
conversation  began  by  a  general  complaint  about  the 
continued  severity  of  the  temperature. 

"  If  only  we  could  get  away  before  the  beginning  of 
the  Fasching,"  said  the  Archduchess;  "there  is  noth- 
ing I  would  enjoy  more  than  to  run  down  to  Nice  or 
Cannes.  How  very  nice  it  would  be  if  we  could  make 
up  a  party  and  all  go  there  together  for  a  fortnight  or 
so !  Don't  you  think  it  is  a  good  idea,  and  would  you 
not  like  it?"  she  added,  turning  to  me. 

"Very  much  indeed,"  I  said,  quietly,  and  without 
enthusiasm,  "  were  it  not  that  I  am  starting  for  Peters- 
burg in  a  few  days  to  spend  a  week  there.  Then  I  go  on 
to  Brittany,  where  my  mother  has  been  royally  pleased 
to  invite  me." 

There  was  a  general  murmur  of  regret  around  the 
table,  every  one  being,  or  appearing  to  be,  heartily 

33i 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A  PRINCESS 

sorry  to  hear  so  lamentable  a  piece  of  news.  Karl 
coolly  stared  at  me,  and  said: 

"This  is  a  sudden  decision." 

"Yes/'  I  replied,  decisively,  "it  is;  I  only  made  up 
my  mind  on  the  subject  lately/' 

"  I  do  not  approve  of  your  travelling  alone  with  your 
servants,"  continued  Karl,  perversely;  "you  had  bet- 
ter postpone  this  trip,  or  ask  Fred,  there,  who  I  know 
intends  starting  for  Berlin  soon,  to  accompany  you  at 
least  to  the  frontier." 

"  I  am  afraid  that,  however  happy  it  would  make  me 
to  accept  so  tempting  an  offer,"  retorted  Fred,  "I  will 
be  unable  to  do  so,  as  I  am  called  to  England  on  im- 
portant business." 

"Fie!  how  ungallant  you  are!"  laughed  the  Arch- 
duchess, flashing  a  look  from  her  bright  eyes  upon  him. 

"Not  at  all,  Kaiserliche  Hoheit ;  please  don't  be  so 
uncharitable.  My  denial  is  my  misfortune,  not  my 
choice." 

Karl  smiled  a  curious,  half-mocking  smile,  and  the 
subject  was  dropped  for  the  time  being,  thanks  to 
Fred's  presence  d'esprit. 

Dinner  over,  we  sauntered  into  one  of  the  prettiest 
salons  of  the  palace,  called  the  Turkish  room.  Delight- 
fully comfortable  couches  ran  along  three  sides  of  this 
charming  buen-retiro,  and  on  the  walls  hung  some  sin- 
gularly fine  specimens  of  Oriental  arms.  The  Arch- 
duchess, throwing  herself  on  a  pile  of  cushions,  opened 
a  small  cigarette-box  and  expressed  a  hope  that  every- 
body would  smoke  there,  instead  of  running  away  to 
the  smoking-room. 

I  lit  a  Russian  cigarette  and  turned  to  speak  to 
Prince  G.,  who  was  standing  near  me. 

"Would  it  very  greatly  displease  you,"  he  whispered, 
"  if  I  were  to  express  my  admiration  for  your  exquisite 

332 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

symphony  in  yellow?"  (I  was  wearing  a  lemon-hued 
gauze  gown,  bordered  with  natural  yellow  jessamine 
and  some  "canary"  diamonds.) 

"  No ;  I  would  merely  thank  you  in  the  name  of  my 
tailor,"  I  answered,  with  a  smile.  "I  cannot  accept  a 
compliment  which  he  alone  deserves." 

"  Now  you  are  wrong  for  once,  my  dear ;  all  depends 
on  the  way  a  toilette  is  worn.  Many  women  spend 
fortunes  at  the  immortal  Worth's,  for  instance,  but 
that  does  not  prevent  them  from  looking  often  more  or 
less  like  scarecrows." 

"  You  are  very  severe.  Some  women  cannot  answer 
for  a  want  of  taste  probably  inherent  to  their  nature. 
Worth,  if  he  clothes  them,  is  much  more  to  blame  in 
this  matter  than  they  are.  He  is  always  a  little  outre, 
and  in  my  opinion  his  style  best  suits  actresses  and 
other  creatures  of  the  same  kind." 

''Actresses  and  other  creatures  of  the  same  kind!" 
laughed  the  Prince.  "  That  was  well  said ;  it  is  what 
I  call  an  excellent  definition  as  regards  the  Napoleon 
de  la  couture.  Truly,  Muzzi,  you  possess  considerable 
ability  for  presenting  our  most  cherished  heroes'  little 
weaknesses  to  the  public  in  a  very  brilliant  but  ex- 
ceedingly uncharitable  way." 

"Never  was  such  a  compliment  paid  to  my  powers 
of  discrimination,  although  your  criticism  is  a  little 
harsh  in  what  regards  the  weakness  and  lowliness  of  my 
spirit,"  I  laughed,  and  was  about  to  make  a  further  re- 
mark, when  the  Prince  hastily  rose,  murmuring  under 
his  breath :  "  Goodness,  here  comes  your  dear  husband  ; 
excuse  me,  Muzzi,  but  to-night,  somehow  or  other,  he  is 
a  trifle  too  much  for  me." 

So  funny  was  the  expression  of  terror  depicted  on  the 
great  statesman's  face  that  I  could  hardly  control  my 
features  as  I  saw  him  literally  scuttle  away  and  seek 

333 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

refuge  behind  a  heavy  table  covered  with  books  and 
albums  at  the  other  end  of  the  room.  Karl,  whose 
spirits  were  evidently  depressed,  bore  down  upon  me, 
and  took  the  place  vacated  by  my  old  friend.  He  threw 
one  knee  irritably  over  the  other,  leaned  back  on  the 
cushions  of  the  divan,  and  said,  shortly : 

"Well,  what  new  freak  is  this  about  going  to  Russia? 
Were  you  discussing  your  projects  with  G.  ?  I  saw 
him  laughing  and  flirting  to  his  heart's  content,  the  old 
sinner!  He  always  pounces  on  the  choicest  morsel  or 
the  best-looking  woman,  and  in  his  idiotic  and  senile 
way  makes  violent  love  to  you." 

"  Nothing  of  the  kind,  I  assure  you/'  I  replied,  much 
amused.  "The  Prince  knows  too  well  what  he  owes 
you  to  flirt  with  me." 

"  Tut,  tut !  I  am  not  quite  so  blind  as  you  may  think ; 
indeed,  my  eyes  are  very  wide  open.  That  old  coureur 
is  trying  to  pump  state  secrets  out  of  you  under  cover 
of  his  antiquated  devotion.  You  need  not  think  from 
what  I  am  saying,  however,  that  I  am  jealous,  for  it  is 
not  G.'s  admiration  I  grudge  you;  no,  indeed,  only 
please  beware  of  him.  You  are  singularly  clever  and 
wide  awake,  and  a  power  in  political  circles  as  well  as  in 
others,  but  I  want  you  to  understand  that  I  infinitely 
dislike  your  turning  your  attentions  to  such  matters." 

"Really,"  I  said,  coldly;  "may  I  inquire  to  what  I  am 
indebted  for  so  flattering  and  sudden  an  interest  on 
your  part?" 

"  Certainly  you  treat  all  I  tell  you  with  a  silent  con- 
tempt which  is  very  galling,  but  I  have  a  right  to  ques- 
tion you  if  I  please.  Why,  then,  do  you  confide  in  the 
Prince,  make  such  a  fuss  about  him,  and  why,  espe- 
cially, are  you  going  to  Russia?" 

"Your  curiosity  in  the  matter  is  very  gratifying  to 
me/'  I  interrupted,  somewhat  impatiently,  for  I  could 

334 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

see  now  what  Karl  was  driving  at,  and  I  was  beginning 
to  be  annoyed. 

"Wait  a  minute;  Fm  not  through/'  continued  my 
irrepressible  spouse.  "  Do  you  know  what  exasperates 
me  about  you?  You  keep  your  own  counsel  too  well, 
and  justify  too  completely  your  nickname  of  'The 
Icicle.'" 

"Thank  you  so  much;  I  take  this  as  a  great  compli- 
ment, do  you  know?"  I  said,  laughingly,  for  my  vexa- 
tion was  overruled  by  a  keen  sense  of  the  unconscious 
humor  of  this  speech. 

"Don't  mention  it.  That  doesn't  mean  that  I  may 
not  be  brought  round  to  a  better  understanding  of  your 
extraordinarily  complex  nature  if  you  will  do  me  the 
honor  of  explaining  some  things  to  me." 

"  You  overwhelm  me,  indeed,"  I  said,  somewhat  bitter- 
ly. "  Are  you  really  dense  to  the  point,  my  dear  Karl, 
to  imagine  that  I  am  not  thoroughly  aware  of  your  rea- 
sons for  desiring  to  prevent  my  trip  to  Petersburg  ?  You 
object  to  my  turning  my  attentions  to  political  questions, 
as  you  say,  but  I  would  annoy  you  less  if  my  timely  in- 
terference in  certain  directions  did  not  coincide  with 
the  doings  of  a  high  and  mighty  lady — whom  we  will 
forbear  from  mentioning  by  name — but  who  basks  in 
the  light  of  your  protection,  and  enjoys  your  help  and 
sympathy.  My  counter-mines  have  not  the  fortune 
of  your  approval.  C'est  dommage.  Pity,  too,  that  I 
should  know  so  much,  and  that  G.,  who  has  been 
my  friend,  and,  after  a  fashion,  my  mentor  since  I  was 
a  child,  should  be  the  wonderfully  keen-sighted  man  he 
is,  instead  of  the  senile  imbecile  you  are  trying  to  make 
him  out  to  be." 

Karl  winced.  This  was  a  tender  subject  I  had  touched 
upon,  for  the  favorite  of  the  moment  had,  I  happened  to 
know,  lofty  ambitions,  and  was  using  my  lord  as  a  mere 

335 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A  PRINCESS 

cat's-paw,  which  was  more  than  I  cared  to  countenance. 
His  countless  infidelities  were  of  no  importance  to  me, 
but  I  was  afraid  to  see  him  compromise  himself,  politi- 
cally speaking,  while  in  the  hands  of  so  dangerous  an 
intriguante.  I  considered  rightly  that  the  honor  of  his 
name,  which  was  mine  as  well,  and  the  safety  of  his 
country,  which  I  loved  as  my  own,  must  not  be  endan- 
gered by  this  cold-blooded,  designing  woman  and  the 
insanely  vain,  weak-minded  man  whom  she  fooled,  so 
I  felt  obliged  to  protect  him  in  sheer  self-defence  from 
his  overwhelming  suffisance  and  wholly  silly  infatuation. 

"  I  am  unable  to  comprehend  your  allusion,"  he  said, 
wrathfully,  biting  his  mustache  and  moving  his  ad- 
mirably shod  foot  nervously.  "You  are  very  myste- 
rious to-night.  Perhaps  your  flirtation  with  handsome 
Fred  is  making  you  melodramatic." 

"  My  good  friend,"  I  replied,  calmly, "  I  am  afraid  that 
your  dulness  is  becoming  chronic.  I  will  not  stoop  to 
refute  your  delicate  allusion  to  Fred,  although  it  might 
give  me  a  chance  of  giving  you  some  neat  little  hints, 
not  only  about  the  eminently  shrewd  person  who  re- 
mains nameless  between  you  and  me,  but  also  about 
Mademoiselle  Becat,  the  delicious  soubrette  who  serves 
you  as  a  screen  to  shelter  the  stainless  virtue  of  that 
very  person.  It  is  not  my  intention  to  interfere  with 
your — love  affairs ;  they  are  quite  outside  my  province, 
thanks  be  to  a  merciful  Providence,  but  I  am  glad  to 
have  the  chance  of  warning  you  that  you  are  just  now 
treading  on  very  thin  ice.  There  is  a  husband  not  far 
from  here  who  resents  your — reverence  for  his  wife, 
and,  singularly  enough,  he  is  in  many  respects  so  much 
in  sympathy  with  you  that  his  jealousy  extends  to  the 
delicious  soubrette  above  mentioned.  Poachers  are 
liable  to  feel  at  times  inclined  to  get  rid  of  each  other 
when  they  meet  on  the  same  ground.  Beware!" 

336 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

"You  know  a  damned  sight  too  much,  madame. 
Your  spies  are  well  informed,  but  so  are  mine,  and  I 
repeat  it,  you  love  Fredl" 

"Don't  talk  nonsense,"  I  said,  with  a  little  laugh. 
"  Such  weapons  as  you  are  trying  to  use  are  very  point- 
less and  misdirected.  I  will  end  by  thinking  that  you 
are  purposely  aggressive.  At  any  rate,  let  us  drop  the 
subject  for  the  present,  for  we  are  in  danger  of  being 
mistaken  for  a  pair  of  genuine  turtle-doves  if  we  get 
into  the  habit  of  secluding  ourselves  in  corners  like 
lovers." 

He  swore  under  his  breath ;  but,  without  seemingly 
noticing  this  breach  of  good  manners,  I  rose  and  left 
him  to  digest  my  oration  as  best  he  might.  In  my  own 
mind,  however,  I  cursed  the  fatuous  and  perilous  con- 
ceit of  the  man  whose  wife  I  had  the  misfortune  of  being. 
As  to  Fred,  I  made  up  my  mind  instantly  to  let  him 
know,  without  the  possibility  of  a  doubt,  that  his  pres- 
ence near  me  was  causing  comment.  I  dreaded  to  give 
him  pain,  for  he  was  easily  hurt,  and  I  never  put  in 
question  the  depth  of  his  affection,  although  he  had 
never  said  a  word  about  it  to  me.  Women  possess  a 
fifth  sense  which  makes  it  easy  for  them  to  detect  such 
things  a  long  while  before  the  man  himself  is  aware 
of  his  own  feelings.  Moreover,  Fred's  state  of  health 
was  extremely  precarious.  Years  before  he  had  been 
consumptive,  and  although  the  lung  trouble  had  dis- 
appeared, yet  his  sojourns  in  the  far  East  as  a  diplomat 
had  enfeebled  his  constitution,  and  he  often  looked 
pathetically  frail,  in  spite  of  his  tall  stature  and  usually 
merry  and  cheerful  mood. 

Before  taking  leave  of  the  Archduke  and  Archduchess 
I  asked  him  to  lunch  with  me  on  the  morrow,  and  to 

drive  afterwards  to  the  Castle  of  S ,  which  was  at 

that  season  deserted.   There  we  could  talk  in  peace  while 
Y  337 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A  PRINCESS 

walking  in  the  immense  park  and  grounds.  He  grate- 
fully accepted,  and  I  left  him  and  Karl  talking  most 
amicably  together,  apparently,  having  to  go  home  to 
change  my  dress  for  a  ball  at  the  Turkish  Embassy, 
where  I  had  promised  to  put  in  an  appearance. 

At  that  very  ball,  by-the-bye,  a  peculiar  incident 
occurred.  Shortly  after  my  arrival  in  the  salons  of  the 
embassy,  a  tall  and  remarkably  handsome  Oriental 
made  his  entrance  into  the  so-called  Throne -room. 
Where  had  I  seen  this  splendid  specimen  of  manhood? 
— those  great,  dark-blue  eyes,  fringed  with  abnormally 
long  lashes?  that  firmly  chiselled  chin?  that  beauti- 
fully curved  mouth,  shaded  by  a  long,  silky  mustache? 

Suddenly  I  remembered  my  captor  of  the  C Pass. 

On  the  impulse  of  the  moment  I  started  to  my  feet,  and, 
much  to  the  amazement  of  all  onlookers,  I  rushed  up  to 
the  hero  of  my  adventure,  and,  extending  both  hands 
to  him,  I  exclaimed : 

"  How  happy  I  am  to  see  you  again!" 

His  extremely  puzzled  expression  urged  me  to  add, 
stupidly  enough : 

"Surely  you  cannot  have  forgotten  me?" 

"No,  I  have  not,"  said  he,  while  a  distinct  blush 
overspread  his  sunburned  skin,  "  but  you  must  remem- 
ber, madame,  that  when  I  last  saw  you  you  were  a 
little  soldier,  while  now — "  His  sentence  remained 
unfinished,  much  to  my  satisfaction.  There  was  a 
slightly  awkward  pause,  and  then,  pointing  to  the 
silken,  pearl-embroidered  belt  which  encircled  his  slim 
waist,  he  showed  me  my  two  little  jewelled  revolvers. 

"  I  have  worn  them  ever  since/'  said  he,  softly. 
******* 

At  two  o'clock  on  the  next  afternoon  Fred  and  I  set 
off  for  our  proposed  drive  in  my  brougham.  The  weath- 
er was  fine,  and  we  soon  reached  the  imperial  castle, 

338 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

which  was  completely  deserted  at  this  time  of  the  year, 
as  I  have  said  already.  There  was  not  a  cloud  to  veil 
the  brightness  of  the  sun,  the  broad  beams  of  which 
slanted  among  the  massive  trunks  of  the  leafless  trees 
and  fell  like  arrows  of  gold  on  the  frozen  turf.  We 
walked  silently  through  the  park,  where  the  ice-bound 
lake  gleamed  beautifully.  We  had  hardly  spoken  a 
word  during  the  drive,  and  our  lunch  had  been  both 
hurried  and  silent.  Even  now  it  seemed  as  if  we  were 
both  afraid  to  break  a  spell  by  talking.  We  bent  our 
steps  towards  a  knoll  where  some  deer  stood  looking 
at  us  from  a  distance,  and  stopped  to  admire  the  beau- 
tiful, shy  creatures.  And  then  our  eyes  met!  Fred 
bent  his  tall  figure  towards  me,  and,  taking  my  hand, 
pressed  it  to  his  lips.  His  self-possession  was  evi- 
dently forsaking  him,  and  he  looked  as  if  the  snow- 
covered  ground  and  the  sunny  blue  sky  above  were 
whirling  around  him 

"My  friend,"  I  said,  gently,  "this  is  dangerous  play. 
You  must  leave  Vienna  before  it  is  too  late. "  I  paused ! 
It  was  very  hard  for  me  to  say  what  I  knew  I  must  tell 
him,  and  we  stood  for  a  moment  in  an  uncomfortable 
silence. 

"It  is  too  late  already,  at  least  for  me,"  he  murmured 
at  last,  sadly,  turning  his  head  away. 

Tears  welled  up  in  my  eyes,  and  I  stretched  out  both 
hands  towards  him  with  a  gesture  of  entreaty. 

"  Will  you  promise  me  one  thing?"  I  said,  very  softly. 

"I  promise  you  all  things.     What  is  this  one?" 

I  looked  unflinchingly  at  him  with  what  courage  I 
could  muster. 

"  You  love  me.  You  need  not  say  so — I  know  it.  I 
am — you  have  certainly  guessed  it — occupying  a  dif- 
ficult and  a  sometimes  singularly  painful  position. 
Promise  me,  therefore,  that  you  will  not  add  to  its  dif- 

339 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

ficulties,  and  that  you  will  go  away,  at  least  for  a  while, 
until  the  sky  is  clearer." 

Twice  his  lips  opened  to  speak  without  any  sound 
coming  from  them.  At  last  he  said,  brokenly,  and 
with  touching  obedience  and  tenderness : 

"  My  dearest  and  best,  I  will  do  as  you  wish.  I  will 
be  what  you  would  have  me  be — a  friend,  and  a  friend 
only,  faithful  until  death,  and  devoted  in  all  things  to 
you  and  you  alone  whether  I  be  far  or  near.  But  re- 
member that  if  you  need  me  I  will  come  at  your  bidding, 
from  wherever  I  may  be." 

I  looked  up  at  him  through  a  mist  of  unshed  tears, 
and  said : 

"Thank  you;  I  know  that  I  can  trust  you.  It  is 
safer  and  better  for  you  to  go  now.  I  do  not  wish  the 
breath  of  scandal  to  touch  either  you  or  me,  or  to  furnish 
society  with  fuel  for  its  ceaseless  desire  to  condemn  in- 
nocents. I  am  very,  very  fond  of  you,  my  dear  boy,  and 
it  hurts  me  to  send  you  away,  and  especially  to  give 
you  pain;  but  you  do  understand,  do  you  not,  the  mo- 
tive which  urges  me  to  do  so?" 

"  I  do,  I  do ;  but  it  is  hard,  indeed,  to  see  you  leading 
this  miserable  life.  How  can  I  ever  endure  your  pain? 
What  need,  what  use  is  there  for  this  sacrifice?  You 
know  that  I  shall  keep  my  word  to  you,  that  I  shall  obey 
you  in  all  things,  but  why  should  you  not  try  to  alleviate 
the  miseries  of  your  present  position?  My  whole  exist- 
ence is  yours,  to  use  or  throw  away  as  you  choose. 
But  do  not,  for  Heaven's  sake,  allow  yourself  to  be  in- 
sulted, to  be  trampled  upon,  as  you  do.  Your  marriage 
was  an  error,  a  cruel  mistake.  You  are  throwing  away 
your  every  chance  of  happiness  in  this  world  for  the 
sake  of  a  guilty,  thankless  man,  who  finds  his  only 
pleasure  in  shame  and  in  sin.  Will  you  never  insist 
upon  your  rights?" 

340 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

"  I  know  that  I  have  every  right  to  leave  my  husband 
if  I  cared  to  do  so,"  I  said,  impatiently.  "But  I  can- 
not countenance  the  scandal  and  shame  of  it  all,  not  so 
much  for  my  own  sake,  but  for  the  sake  of  the  name  I 
once  bore,  and  also  for  the  sake  of  the  one  I  bear  now. 
Do  not  offend  me  by  asking  me  to  do  what  for  years 
I  have  been  eager  to  avoid.  On  the  contrary,  encour- 
age me  if  you  can  to  patience  and  to  endurance,  for 
thus  you  will  serve  me  best. " 

He  saw  probably  the  conflict  that  was  going  on  within 
me,  and,  taking  my  hand  once  more  in  his  own,  he  ex- 
claimed : 

"Hear  me,  Muzzi.  Had  I  seen  you  living  a  serene, 
though  a  loveless,  life,  I  would  never  have  spoken  to 
you  of  my  adoration  for  you ;  but  I  saw  you  outraged, 
injured,  forsaken  for  rivals  who  are  so  base  that  to  talk 
of  them  before  you  is  to  degrade  you.  Can  you  ask  me 
to  look  on  patiently,  to  remain  mute?  Remember  how 
I  love  you,  and  think  of  my  despair." 

While  he  spoke  we  had  been  pacing  up  and  down 
under  the  trees  in  the  bright  sunset  glow.  We  had 
nearly  reached  the  gates  of  the  palace,  where  my  horses 
were  waiting.  I  stopped  short,  and,  turning  my  face 
towards  him,  I  said,  resolutely : 

"Listen,  Fred.  Once  and  for  all,  I  tell  you  that  I 
will  not  become  the  talk  of  Europe.  I  hate  to  pain  you 
as  I  know  that  I  am  now  doing,  but  although  I  am  ready 
to  put  your  happiness  before  my  own  in  every  other  re- 
spect, I  cannot  tamper  with  what  I  consider  to  be  the 
only  honorable  course  I  can  adopt.  What  I  am  going  to 
tell  you  may  seem  dictated  by  pride,  if  not  by  conceit 
and  self-complacency,  but,  were  I  an  ordinary  woman, 
my  brilliant  life  as  a  leader  of  fashion  and  a  petted  per- 
sonage at  court  would  be  fully  sufficient  to  satisfy  me; 
were  I  less  rigid  in  my  ideas,  in  spite  of  my  perpetual  and 

34i 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

misleading  banter,  I  would  doubtless  have  allowed  my- 
self to  be  entangled  long  ere  this  in  some  affaire  de  coeur, 
if  only  to  fill  up  the  void  of  my  life.  But  I  am  not  built 
that  way ;  and,  although  I  often  turn  in  revolt  against 
the  injustice  which  I  must  confess  has  been  done  me, 
I  will  never  swerve  from  the  path  I  have  laid  out  for  my- 
self, and  I  will  pursue  it,  weary,  alone,  and  unaided, 
without  even  so  much  as  allowing  myself  to  think  of 
what  might  have  been,  were  I  made  on  different  lines.  I 
owe  this  to  the  memory  of  my  father,  and  to  my  love, 
gratitude,  and  tenderness  towards  the  Empress/' 

"My  dear,  my  dear,"  he  murmured,  "I  know  that 
you  are  right,  but  how  can  I  live  out  my  life  without 
you?" 

"  Am  I  then  to  accept  this  tenderness  which  you  offer 
me,  am  I  to  fall  to  the  level  of  other  women  who  seek 
consolation  in  unlawful  affections?  No,  a  thousand 
times  no!  Anything  is  better  than  that!  My  present 
sufferings,  at  least,  are  not  of  my  own  making,  and  I  feel 
that  disgrace  in  my  own  eyes  is  the  one  thing  I  could 
never  endure."  I  clasped  my  hands  together  until  my 
rings  cut  into  the  flesh,  praying  from  the  bottom  of  my 
heart  for  strength  to  persuade,  convince,  and  comfort 
this  poor  boy,  whose  ashen  face  and  mournful  eyes 
were  to  me  a  sort  of  unbearable  reproach. 

He  noticed  my  agitation,  and  in  a  simple,  manly  way, 
which  went  to  my  heart,  he  drew  my  arm  through  his, 
and,  resolutely  walking  towards  the  carriage,  said,  in  a 
voice  which  trembled  with  emotion : 

"God  send  that  I  am  never  again  tempted  to  bring 
sorrow  into  your  already  overburdened  life.  Forgive 
me,  dearest,  for  having  spoken  as  I  have  done.  The 
future  is  in  better  hands  than  mine,  fortunately.  Let 
matters  stand  as  they  are  now  for  the  present.  I  cannot 
help  loving  you  as  long  as  my  life  endures,  but  I  can 

342 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A  PRINCESS 

help  giving  you  additional  anxiety  and  worry.  I  did 
not  intend  to  leave  you,  although  last  night  I  pretended 
to  have  been  recalled  to  England  with  a  view  of  stopping 
your  husband's  further  teasing,  but  in  two  days  from 
now  I  will  go,  and  stay  away,  too,  until  you  call  me 
back.  I  am  yours  forever;  of  that  rest  assured." 

I  nodded.  To  save  my  life  I  could  not  have  uttered  a 
word,  and  I  was  glad  that  my  servants  and  carriage 
were  by  this  time  near  enough  to  make  it  impossible 
for  me  to  answer. 

That  night  there  was  a  gala  representation  at  the 
opera,  and,  nolens  volens,  I  had  to  be  present.  When  I 
entered  my  box  at  nine  o'clock  the  house  was  hushed, 
the  music  thrilled  through  the  stillness,  and  on  the 
stage  stood  Faust  and  Marguerite.  I  sat  down  in  my 
accustomed  seat,  and,  leaning  my  cheek  upon  my  hand, 
I  fell  into  a  fit  of  melancholy  musing.  I  was  very  tired 
and  sad,  my  temples  throbbed,  and  my  head  swam. 
The  dazzling  light,  the  brilliant  scene,  had  no  charm 
for  me.  Near  me  was  my  husband  in  his  brilliant,  gold- 
laced  uniform,  but  I  was  hardly  conscious  of  his  presence. 

Many  men  entered  my  box,  between  the  acts,  but 
somehow  I  seemed  to  have  lost  all  my  usual  elasticity, 
and  conversation  was  an  effort.  Fred  bowed  low  to  me 
from  his  place  in  the  box  of  the  British  ambassadress, 
but  did  not  come  near  me. 

The  violins  wailed  softly,  the  atmosphere  was  scented 
with  hot-house  blooms,  and  the  loveliest  women  in  the 
world  sat  in  their  loges,  displaying  their  beauty  and  their 
jewels.  The  glittering  uniforms  and  the  gorgeous  cos- 
tumes of  the  magnates  made  a  blaze  of  color  and  mag- 
nificence not  easily  forgotten.  But  I  was  heedless  of  it 
all.  I  only  thought  as  I  watched  Karl,  with  the  light 
falling  upon  his  sullen,  dissatisfied  face,  of  all  the  peace 
which  might  have  been  mine  had  he  only  been  like  Fred. 

343 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

I  forced  such  thoughts  back  fiercely  and  pulled  myself 
together.  It  was,  I  thought,  high  time  to  cease  bemoan- 
ing my  lot,  for  I  have  always  detested  plaintive  people. 
To  shoulder  one's  burden,  whether  it  be  light  or  heavy, 
is  the  only  thing  for  the  brave  to  do,  and  I  was  sincerely 
ashamed  of  my  momentary  weakness. 

"  You  have  heard  the  beat  of  the  off-shore  wind 

And  the  thresh  of  the  deep-sea  rain, 
You  have  heard  the  song — how  long,  how  long? — 
Pull  out  on  the  trail  again." 

That  is  the  size  of  it!  " Putt  out  on  the  trail  again  " 
— and  pull  well ! 

I  left  the  opera  as  soon  as  I  could  and  drove  straight 
home,  for  I  wanted  a  little  time  in  which  to  shoulder  this 
increased  burden  of  mine  anew. 

Karl,  when  handing  me  into  my  carriage,  excused 
himself,  with  his  customary  courtliness  when  we  were 
on  parade,  from  accompanying  me,  as  he  had,  so  he 
said,  an  important  appointment  at  one  of  his  numerous 
clubs.  I  smiled,  for  I  knew  only  too  well  what  those 
pressing  appointments  meant. 

I  awoke  next  morning  from  a  troubled  and  restless 
sleep  with  a  bad  headache.  The  sun  had  hardly  risen, 
but  I  felt  that  a  sharp  gallop  in  the  first  crisp  cold  of  the 
rising  day  would  do  me  good,  and  half  an  hour  later  I 
was  off  and  away,  breathing  in  deep  draughts  the  icy 
air,  clear  as  crystal  and  invigorating  beyond  compare. 

My  horse,  a  thoroughbred  of  exceptional  beauty  of 
form,  was  mettlesome  enough  to  occupy  my  entire  at- 
tention, a  welcome  circumstance,  and  it  was  only  when 
I  got  him  beyond  the  central  allee  of  the  park  and  upon 
the  turf  that  I  had  leisure  to  look  about  me.  White  frost 
was  turning  every  blade  of  grass  into  a  prismatic  brill- 
iancy exquisite  to  behold,  and  overhead  the  sky  was  of 

344 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

a  luminous  blue,  glazed  with  the  gold  and  rose  of  sun- 
rise, which  dazzled  and  fascinated  the  eye.  My  spirits 
rose,  and  soon  I  even  caught  myself  humming  snatches 
of  an  old  popular  Breton  Gwerz,  which  I  used  to  sing 
when  I  was  still  light-hearted  Pierrot. 

"  Et  ar  mevel  emez  ann  ti, 

Vit  gout  petra  z oa  gand  ar  c'hi, 

Talc  he  Kement  da  randonil" 

(The  slave  has  left  the  house  to  find  out  wherefore  the 
dog  continuously  made  a  row),  I  muttered.  The  harsh 
syllables  rolled  off  my  tongue  mechanically,  and  then  I 
laughed  outright,  for  my  own  slave,  who  took  the  form 
of  a  severely  accoutred  English  groom,  as  dignified 
and  correct  as  a  diplomat,  was  precisely  engaged  in 
discovering  what  my  dear  old  dog  Czar,  the  pride  of 
my  soul,  was  barking  at  so  furiously  in  a  dense  thicket. 
The  turmoil  turned  out  to  be  caused  by  Czar's  dis- 
covery of  a  large-sized  hedgehog  benumbed  by  the  cold, 
whose  mysterious  and  dangerously  cuirassed  person- 
ality exasperated  the  gigantic  silver-coated  Dane.  At 
last  the  magnificent  creature  was  persuaded  to  relin- 
quish his  awkward  prey,  and  came  bounding  towards 
me  joyfully,  although  a  curious  uncertainty  in  the  faith- 
ful eyes  seemed  to  denote  anxiety  concerning  the  fash- 
ion in  which  I  would  take  his  escapade.  Dear,  majestic 
Czar,  an  imperial  dog,  indeed,  and  an  imperial  gift, 
presented  to  me  when  yet  quite  a  puppy  by  his  august 
namesake,  the  Emperor  of  All  the  Russias,  and  who 
was  my  constant  companion  day  and  night,  a  loyal, 
strong,  reliable  comrade,  upon  whom  I  could  always 
depend,  come  what  may.  I  have  always  owned  dogs, 
good  and  handsome,  also  faithful  and  true,  but  none 
did  I  ever  possess  who  could  in  anyway  bear  compari- 
son to  that  one! 

345 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

When  I  reached  home  I  was  feeling  almost  entirely 
myself  again,  and  as  I  ascended  the  steps  leading  to 
the  main  hall  I  turned  to  call  out  to  my  groom  that  I 
would  want  the  four  bays  put  in  the  phaeton  at  eleven. 
To  be  out-of-doors  seemed  to  be  the  most  potent  remedy 
for  my  troubles,  and  a  double  dose  of  this  agreeable 
tonic  appeared  none  too  much  to  help  settle  my  nerves. 
Just  as  I  was  about  to  walk  up-stairs,  Karl's  aide-de- 
camp came  running  down,  and,  at  the  sight  of  me,  stood 
stock-still,  pale  to  the  lips  and  trembling  from  head  to 
foot. 

With  instantaneous  and  almost  supernatural  pene- 
tration I  divined  what  had  happened  when  his  eyes 
met  mine. 

"What  is  it?"  I  whispered,  grasping  his  gold-laced 
sleeve.  "Has  Karl  been  wounded?" 

The  young  man  hesitated.  His  lips  were  as  white  as 
his  face.  He  answered  hoarsely,  almost  unintelligibly : 

"There  was  a  quarrel  at  the  club  last  night — they 
fought  this  morning — he  is — dying." 

"Here?"  I  queried,  horror-stricken. 

He  nodded,  and  pointed  to  the  upper  hall,  where  the 
steps  of  several  men  were  distinctly  audible.  "The 
doctors!"  he  said,  shuddering. 

I  waited  for  no  more,  but  swiftly  ran  to  my  husband's 
apartments.  On  the  broad,  low  bed  lay  Karl,  surround- 
ed by  several  physicians,  who  made  way  for  me  at  once. 

The  sword  of  his  adversary  had  entered  his  left  side 
and  passed  out  through  the  lung  beneath  the  shoulder- 
blade.  One  look  sufficed  to  show  me  that  he  was  as 
good  as  dead  already.  Indeed,  it  seemed  almost  incred- 
ible that  they  should  have  been  able  to  transport  him 
to  his  home. 

"Send  for  a  priest,"  I  said,  quickly,  to  the  young 
aide-de-camp,  who  had  followed  me  and  was  still  trem- 

346 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

bling  like  an  aspen-leaf.  Then  I  knelt  on  the  floor  and 
took  Karl's  nerveless  hand  in  mine. 

For  one  moment  he  opened  his  eyes,  and  his  lips 
moved. 

"You  will  forgive/'  he  muttered.  "Too  late;  it  is 
too  late,  too  late!"  he  repeated,  breathlessly,  with  a  sort 
of  shuddering,  choking  sigh,  and  with  that  sigh  his 
soul  passed  away  to  meet  its  Maker. 

What  did  I  feel  at  that  supreme  moment?  I  could 
not  myself  have  told,  so  conflicting  were  my  emotions. 
Fortunately  the  dumb  Breton  obstinacy  of  my  race 
made  it  possible  for  me  to  appear  outwardly  calm  and 
to  retain  my  self-control,  so  that  none  of  those  present 
were  able  to  know  whether  I  was  broken-hearted  or 
totally  indifferent.  All  the  world  knew  that  he  had 
died  for  the  sake  of  another  woman  and  under  peculiar- 
ly unsavory  circumstances,  but  good  taste  and  good 
breeding  forbade  me  to  let  it  be  known  that  I  was  aware 
of  this. 

Immediately  after  the  pompous  and  gorgeous  funeral 
I  withdrew  to  an  old  castle  in  the  mountains,  which 
was  my  own  property,  having  been  left  to  me  by  my 
godfather  two  years  before.  There  I  remained  alone 
with  my  household  and  my  own  thoughts,  refusing  to 
see  anybody. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

"  The  storm  is  stilled,  the  ocean's  face 

Is  smooth  to  see,  and  calm  once  more; 
The  rising  moon's  bright  rosy  beam 
Its  placid  surface  glideth  o'er. 

"The  minstrel's  fresh  green  laurel  wreath 

Floats  on  the  water  buoyantly, 
The  regal  circlet  of  the  queen 
Lies  at  the  bottom  of  the  seal" 

MY  mother  kindly  suggested  that  I  should  come  to 
Brittany,  or  else  let  her  join  me  in  my  mountain  fastness. 
It  would,  so  she  argued,  look  more  seemly  were  she  to 
do  so.  I  respectfully  pointed  out  to  her  that  I  did  not 
care  a  jot  about  what  looked  seemly,  and  that  I  need- 
ed a  little  time  to  pull  myself  together  in  solitude.  I 
did  not  add  that  the  absolute  freedom  from  a  union 
which  I  had  loathed  was  not  to  be  tampered  with  just 
then.  Nobody  save  the  Empress  had  ever  heard  a  word 
of  complaint  from  me  during  the  five  years  of  my  mar- 
ried life,  and  I  was  far  from  inclined  to  indulge  in  post- 
mortem revelations  about  a  man  who  could  offend  no 
more.  It  was  impossible  for  any  one  to  discover  wheth- 
er I  was  relieved  or  sorry,  for  there  were  none  there  to 
watch  me,  Heaven  be  praised !  I  never  uttered  a  sylla- 
ble nor  wrote  a  word  which  could  enlighten  my  friends, 
or  even  my  attendants,  as  to  the  state  of  my  feelings. 
The  only  person  who  sent  me  no  message  of  condolence 
throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  Europe  was  Fred, 
and  I  understood  his  silence,  which  was  in  keeping 
with  the  loyalty  and  truthfulness  of  his  whole  attitude. 

348 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

Why  should  he  condole  with  me?  Why,  indeed?  And 
how  could  he  communicate  with  me  without  doing  so? 
His  was  the  quintessence  of  eloquent  silence,  indeed, 
and  I  appreciated  it. 

This  wonderful  peace,  so  soothing  and  so  complete, 
was  not  destined,  however,  to  last.  I  could  not  forever 
seclude  myself  from  the  world,  and  after  three  long, 
blissful  months  of  contemplative  existence  I  left  my 
poetical  retreat,  much  to  my  regret,  called  away  by  a 
passing  indisposition  of  my  mother,  which  she  pur- 
posely magnified  with  a  view  of  forcing  me  out  of  my 
voluntary  imprisonment. 

I  started  off  at  noon  and  travelled  straight  to  Paris. 
I  had  gloomy  forebodings,  and  felt  for  some  reason  or 
other  intensely  miserable.  It  was  late  when  I  reached 
the  railway  station.  The  express  was  on  the  point  of 
departure,  and  I  hurriedly  boarded  my  special  car. 
Then  I  stood  motionless,  looking  out  upon  the  little 
woodland  terminus.  Soon  the  train  rushed  out  of  the 
station  through  the  heavy,  gray  darkness;  the  lamp 
swinging  above  me  shone  upon  my  face,  on  which  I 
knew  well  that  there  must  surely  be  a  piteous  expres- 
sion of  sorrow.  Suddenly  I  threw  myself  on  my  knees 
beside  the  cloth-covered  seat  of  the  compartment,  and, 
burying  my  head  in  the  cushions,  I  sobbed  convulsively 
for  a  few  moments.  There  was  no  sound  but  that 
caused  by  the  oscillating  of  the  train  swinging  at  head- 
long speed  over  its  iron  sleepers.  The  weather  was 
cold.  I  rose  feeling  better  for  those  tears — an  unusual 
luxury  with  me — and,  wrapping  my  cloak  around  me,  I 
sat  motionless,  thinking  of  the  past  and  of  the  future 
very  mournfully. 

Every  time  when  the  train  stopped,  my  courier  and 
confidential  servant,  Ferdinand,  came  to  inquire  if  I 
wanted  anything,  and  the  solicitude  of  this  old  soldier, 

349 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

whom  I  could  trust  blindly,  was  very  welcome.  Fer- 
dinand was  intensely  devoted  to  me,  in  whose  service 
he  had  been  ever  since  my  marriage.  Many  were  the 
little  kindnesses  I  had  been  able  to  show  him,  and, 
strange  to  state,  he  was  not  ungrateful.  He  often  said 
himself  that  there  was  nothing  that  he  would  not  do 
for  my  sake.  He  was  then  a  man  of  forty-five,  who, 
with  his  smooth-shaved  countenance  and  singularly 
refined  manner,  had  nothing  smacking  of  the  flunkey 
about  him. 

I  remained  but  a  short  time  in  Paris,  the  brilliant 
city  which  has  long  since  become  distasteful  to  people 
like  myself  who  are  monarchial  to  the  backbone. 
Princess  Pauline  M.  had  asked  me  to  spend  a  few 

weeks  at  her  delightful  castle  of  P en  petit  comite, 

and  I  gratefully  accepted  the  invitation.  Life  at  P 

was  charming.  Everybody  enjoyed  perfect  freedom, 
for  neither  the  Prince  nor  the  Princess  considered  it  a 
duty  to  bore  themselves  and  their  guests  by  forcing 
upon  them  a  prearranged  succession  of  so-called  amuse- 
ments in  a  regular  line  of  order.  The  only  cast-iron 
rule  was  the  demand  made  upon  all  guests  to  appear 
at  meal-times  with  truly  military  punctuality.  An 
early  breakfast,  consisting  of  fragrant  chocolate  and 
toast,  was  generally  sent  to  one's  bedside,  but  at  the 
eleven-o'clock  dejetiner  &  la  fourchette  everybody  was 
expected  to  be  present,  and  the  dinner  at  eight  found 
us  all  assembled  under  the  hand-coffered  and  gorgeous- 
ly painted  ceiling  of  the  banqueting-hall. 

Princess  Pauline,  when  in  the  country,  rose  with  the 
lark.  She  was  one  of  those  women  who  could  dance 
all  night  and  then  stroll  out  into  the  garden  to  watch 
the  awakening  of  day  as  though  she  had  retired  at  eight 
on  the  previous  evening.  She  used  to  tell  us  that  she 
delighted  in  these  early  rambles,  for,  as  she  put  it,  in  her 

350 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

quaint  manner  of  speech,  "Nature  looks  as  if  God 
washed  it  clean  every  morning,  and  at  noon  it  is  already 
quite  crumpled-up  by  contact  with  humanity."  Be- 
neath her  apparent  insouciance  there  was  a  great  deal 
of  feeling  and  even  of  poetical  instinct  in  the  Princess's 
composition;  and,  although  this  may  appear  paradoxi- 
cal on  her  part,  I  have  heard  this  mondaine  a  entrance 
bitterly  complain  of  the  conventionality  of  society, 
and  regret  her  being  forced  to  endure  a  life  made  up 
of  everlasting  spectacles,  excitements,  and  revelry,  in- 
stead of  being  allowed  to  "  plant  her  cabbages  in  peace." 
The  "cabbages"  of  the  Princess,  I  may  add,  were  an 
unparalleled  collection  of  orchids,  for  which  she  en- 
tertained an  inordinate  passion. 

In  spite  of  all  that  may  have  been  said  to  the  contrary, 
the  Prince  and  Princess  lived  together  on  excellent 
terms.  When  he  married  his  wife — whose  hare-brained 
follies  had  been  the  talk  of  all  Europe  since  she  reached 
her  teens — Prince  Richard  knew  that  he  was  not  taking 
to  himself  a  lackadaisical  maiden  who  would  "  sit  and 
spin  the  silken  threads  of  matrimonial  love  forever,"  or 
whom  marriage  would  turn  into  an  easy-going  Haus- 
frau.  With  praiseworthy  tact  the  husband  made  every 
allowance  for  his  consort's  somewhat  trying  supera- 
bundance of  vitality.  She  has  been  accused  of  many 
peculiar  eccentricities,  but  "one  lends  to  the  rich,"  and 
in  her  case  there  has  been  much  more  smoke  than  fire. 
Anyhow,  the  world  liked  her  none  the  less  for  all  that, 
and,  moreover,  grande  dame  to  the  tips  of  her  almond- 
shaped  finger-nails  as  she  was,  she  managed  to  render 
acceptable  deeds  and  words  which  from  any  other  woman 
would  have  seemed  reprehensible,  as  mere  peccadilloes. 
I  never  met  any  one  else  who  possessed  in  so  eminent 
a  degree  what  the  French  call  du  charme  et  de  la  seduc- 
tion. Always  in  a  good  humor,  her  voice  shrill  and 

35i 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

sweet  like  a  silver  whistle,  her  large  black  eyes  spark- 
ling with  mirth  and  malice,  there  was  about  her  a  con- 
tagion of  wit  and  cheerfulness  which  no  one  could 
resist. 

On  one  subject  more  than  on  any  other  did  the  prince- 
ly manage  agree,  and  that  was  in  so  far  as  the  improve- 
ment of  the  peasants  living  on  their  estates  was  con- 
cerned. They  founded  schools  for  children,  unlike  any 
other  institutions  of  the  kind,  in  which  only  the  ru- 
diments of  education  were  imparted  to  the  little  ones. 
Very  autocratic,  and  an  aristocrat  to  the  core,  Pauline 
asserted  that  elaborate  education  of  the  lower  classes 
begot  a  multitude  of  theorists,  and  was  the  root  of  nihil- 
ism, anarchy,  socialism,  and  revolution. 

A  consummate  musician,  Prince  Richard  spent  long 
hours  at  the  piano,  playing  with  a  perfection  of  skill 
only  equalled  by  the  exquisite  tenderness  of  his  inter- 
pretation. I  have  heard  Liszt  many  a  time  summoning 
the  spirit  of  music  to  his  masterly  call  in  the  concert- 
room  of  P and  elsewhere,  but  even  this  grand  and 

inimitable  artist  often  declared  that  none  could  suc- 
ceed in  touching  one's  sense  of  harmony  as  did  the 
Prince  when  he  dreamily  wandered  over  the  keys  of  his 
perfect  Pleyel,  touching  them  lightly  and  softly  while 
evoking  memories  of  every  land  and  epoch  in  a  quaint 
succession  of  Magyar  czdrdas,  German  reveries,  French 
bergeuses,  Spanish  fandangos,  voluptuous  Viennese 
waltzes,  and  weird  songs  from  the  Ukraine. 

Every  year  during  the  hunting  season,  royal  and 

imperial  guests  assembled  at  P ,  and  the  whole  place 

became  filled  with  animated  and  brilliant  life.  Great 
hunting-parties  made  the  country  ring  for  miles  around 
with  the  sound  of  horn  and  rifle ;  the  bijou  theatre  echoed 
every  night  with  the  laughter  aroused  by  the  perform- 
ances of  Princess  Pauline,  one  of  the  most  peerless 

352 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

actresses  in  the  amateur  world,  and  the  ballroom  was 
the  scene  of  superb  cotillions. 

Passionately  fond  of  all  kinds  of  sports,  the  Prince 
and  Princess  shot,  rode,  swam,  and  even  played  billiards 
together,  like  two  good  comrades  who  thoroughly  en- 
joyed each  other's  company.  Although  the  abnormal 
intellectual  powers  and  numerous  accomplishments  of 
his  wife  seemed  sometimes  to  oppress  the  Prince  with  a 
vague  sense  of  inferiority,  yet  in  his  humble  measure- 
ment of  himself  he  was  ever  ready  to  yield  to  what  he 
called  her  "superior  comprehension  of  life."  And  thus 
everything  went  as  merrily  as  marriage  bells  with 
them. 

Their  kindness  to  me  during  this,  my  last,  visit  to 
them  was  intelligent,  unobtrusive,  complete.  They 
forbore  from  filling  their  house  with  many  people,  but 
selected  a  few  choice  spirits,  among  whom  was  Prince 
Alex  S.,  the  handsomest  youth  in  our  army,  and  who, 
according  to  Pauline,  was  fated  to  become  my  second 
husband. 

I  cannot  conceal  the  fact  that  I  was  fond  of  Alex,  and 
I  would  have  been  blind  indeed  had  I  neglected  to  see 
that  this  fondness  was  more  than  mutual.  He  was  then 
about  twenty-five  years  old,  with  delicate,  exquisitely 
modelled  features,  great  sapphire  -  blue  eyes  fringed 
with  long,  curly  lashes,  a  slight  blond  mustache,  just 
a  couple  of  shades  lighter  than  his  wavy,  short-cropped 
hair,  and  an  expression  at  once  gentle  and  cold.  His 
height  was  great,  and  his  bearing  not  only  that  of  a 
soldier,  but  of  a  typical  grand  seigneur.  His  life  was 
one  of  the  most  envied  in  Europe,  for  he  possessed  prac- 
tically limitless  wealth  to  uphold  one  of  the  oldest  and 
most  glorious  names  in  the  universe. 

We  had  been  friends  ever  since  my  marriage,  and  I, 
with  my  incorrigibly  analytical  mind,  could  perfectly 
Z  353 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

appraise  his  feelings.  He  was  not  in  love  with  me ;  he 
loved  me  I  was  not  quite  so  sure,  however,  of  what  I 
myself  felt  for  him;  admiration  in  a  way,  sympathy, 
comradeship,  and  that  fondness  which  I  have  mention- 
ed just  now,  but  which  was  quite  untinged  with  any 
tenderer  sentiment.  He  was  evidently  the  magnetized, 
not  the  magnetizer.  The  ice  of  my  temperament,  which 
dated  from  my  wedding-day,  was  not  of  a  kind  to  melt 
under  even  the  most  volcanic  of  atmospheres.  Love 
to  me  was  indeed  an  absolutely  empty  word,  and  I  often 
used  to  hum  to  myself  the  ironical  lines  which  sound 
so  melodious  and  soft  as  they  have  been  written : 

"Dari  in  ana  da  tang  linta? 
Dari  gounoung  touroung  di  kali. 
Dari  mana  da  tang  tchinta? 
Dari  mata  touroung  di  ati.  .  .  ." 

(Whence  cometh  the  leech? 
From  the  mountain  it  descends  to  the  river. 
Whence  cometh  love? 
From  the  eyes  it  descends  to  the  heart.  .  .  .) 

It  had  never  descended  to  my  heart,  although  my 
eyes  had  certainly  rested  on  many  an  attractive  coun- 
tenance, but  I  had  until  then  invariably  succeeded  in 
changing  my  admirers  into  the  friends  I  wanted  them 
to  be,  and  I  certainly  gave  no  thought  to  a  second  mar- 
riage at  present. 

"You  believe  neither  in  love  nor  in  sorrow,"  Alex 
said  one  day,  abruptly,  to  me,  &  propos  de  rien. 

"  Why  should  you  say  so,  Alex?"  I  replied,  somewhat 
nettled.  "  You  know  that  I  have  reason  to  be  aware  of 
the  fact  that  sorrow  exists." 

"And  what  about  love?"  he  continued. 

"  How  stupid,  how  intensely  stupid  you  are,  my  poor 
boy!  What  do  you  mean  by  putting  such  ill-timed 
questions  to  me?"  I  exclaimed,  thoroughly  provoked. 

354 


THE  TRIBULATIONS    OF  A   PRINCESS 

"  I  mean  this,  Muzzi.  You  cannot  make  any  pretence 
of  regretting  Karl.  I  knew  him,  and  I  know  you,  so 
I  may  make  bold  to  state  that  all  conventionality  can 
be  laid  aside  even  at  this  early  hour  between  us.  My 
words  are  previous,  that  is  true,  but  I  love  you  too  dear- 
ly to  run  the  chance  of  losing  you,  for  I  fear  that  there 
is  somebody  else  looming  up  on  your  horizon.  I  have 
been  wretchedly  unhappy  about  you,  my  snow-flower ; 
I  thought  that  I  had  conquered  my  folly,  but  now  the 
gods  have  played  into  my  hands,  and  I  would  be  ten 
times  a  fool  to  leave  anything  to  chance.  Will  you 
marry  me,  Muzzi,  as  soon  as  your  official  period  of 
mourning  comes  to  an  end?" 

He  spoke  with  animation.  His  cheeks  were  slightly 
flushed.  His  eyes  were  full  of  light,  and  there  was  a 
restrained  masterfulness  about  him  to  which  I  was  not 
accustomed. 

"  Permit  me  to  question  your  taste — which  is  invari- 
ably so  perfect — in  speaking  as  you  do/'  I  said,  coldly. 
"Your  tirade  reminds  me  of  the  celebrated  crumpled 
rose-leaf.  You  are,  my  dear  boy,  crying  for  the  moon, 
like  any  other  spoiled  child,  and  trying  to  make  me  mis- 
take you  for  a  martyr,  which  you  emphatically  are 
not.  Domitian  and  the  cabbage-garden  all  over  again. 
You  are  witty  when  you  care  to  be  so,  but  if  you 
are  going  to  become  &legiaque,  it  will  not  suit  your 
style." 

"  I  regret,  Muzzi,  that  you  should  ridicule  me  in  this 
way,"  he  retorted,  much  annoyed.  "Men,  I  think, 
are  more  romantic  than  women.  Your  merciless  little 
laugh  often  haunts  me,  I  assure  you;  it  conceals  so 
much  that  I  would  give  my  life  to  read.  I  have  been 
dreaming  of  awakening  you  from  the  torpor  in  which 
you  have  allowed  your  heart  to  fall.  You  belong  to 
the  epoch  which  is  known  as  le  temps  oU  la  Reine 

355 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

Berthe  filait,  and  yet  you  pretend  to  be  as  indifferent  to 
every  human  emotion  as  if  you  were  made  of  stone." 

"You  are  talking  great  nonsense,  Alex,"  I  replied; 
"and  as  to  awakening  my  heart,  as  you  so  graciously 
put  it — excusez  du  pen,  mon  ami ! — it  would  take  pity, 
for  instance,  or  some  other  such  soul-stirring  sensation, 
to  accomplish  so  dark  a  deed.  Now,  conscientiously,  my 
good  fellow,  are  you  an  object  for  pity,  or  for  sympathy 
even,  dites  la  v£rite?" 

"Excess  always  carries  its  own  retribution,  Muzzi. 
You  are  overdoing  your  part.  I  cannot  understand 
you,  especially  lately." 

I  walked  through  one  of  the  doorways  into  the  open 
air,  anxious  to  put  an  end  to  this  conversation,  which 
by  no  means  pleased  me. 

"Don't  be  sententious,"  I  called  back  to  him  over 
my  shoulder.  "C'est  agagant ;  give  me  time  to  think 
your  proposal  over.  Truly,  your  haste  is  indecent." 

"That  is  a  very  shocking  speech,"  he  said,  wrath- 
fully,  marching  after  me  on  to  the  greensward. 

"Pray  excuse  me,  Alex,  dear;  you  are  paved  with 
good  intentions,  but  I  cannot  just  now  stay  to  hear  you 
explain  them  to  me.  The  dinner-bell  will  ring  in  half 
an  hour,  and,  in  spite  of  my  '  crapy '  condition,  I  can- 
not appear  before  our  hosts  in  the  costume  I  wear 
now." 

His  face  grew  cold.  A  deep  displeasure  darkened 
his  eyes.  He  drew  back,  and  then  stood  stock-still, 
watching  me.  Remorse  immediately  overcame  me, 
and  swiftly  I  turned  and  came  close  to  him. 

"My  dear  old  chap,"  I  said,  repentantly;  "do  not 
take  my  words  amiss.  I  am  awfully  fond  of  you,  dear, 
but  you  know  that  I  cannot  make  up  my  mind  about 
so  grave  a  question  on  the  spur  of  the  moment.  We 
have  always  been  such  friends,  please  do  not  disturb 

356 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

what  exists  that  is  really  beautiful  between  us  by  your 
rashness." 

"But  I  love  you,  Muzzi,"  he  pleaded,  softened,  and 
looking  very  boyish  and  earnest. 

"Of  course  you  do,  you  goose!  Where  is  the  harm? 
I  am  not  scolding  you  for  that,  am  I?  But  do  not  be 
melodramatic :  it  is  so  absurd  and  so  tiresome." 

"All  right/'  he  said,  with  an  effort.  "I'll  wait,  dear 
girl.  But  still  I  wish  you  would  give  me  your  word;  I 
know  that  you  will  keep  it." 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders  and  fairly  ran  across  the 
lawn  to  the  conservatories,  where  I  gathered  some  gar- 
denias, intending  to  fasten  them  in  my  dinner-dress  of 
black  gauze. 

That  very  night,  as  we  sat  in  the  music-room  listen- 
ing to  some  of  Prince  Richard's  exquisite  melodies,  a 
letter  brought  by  special  messenger  was  handed  to  me. 
It  was  from  Fred — a  long,  rambling,  rather  involved 
epistle,  incomprehensible,  indeed,  excepting  to  the  in- 
itiated. I  read  between  the  lines  and  found  out  that  he 
had  been  very  ill,  that  he  was  lonely,  wretched,  misera- 
ble! Some  blundering  ass  of  a  doctor — I  beg  his  hon- 
orable pardon,  for  he  was,  indeed,  a  great  and  celebrated 
specialist — had  bluntly  told  him  that  he  could  not  live 
six  months,  and  the  poor  fellow  had,  this  being  given, 
refrained  from  uttering  a  single  word  of  love  or  tender- 
ness, although  his  feelings  oozed  through  every  sen- 
tence of  his  curious  epistolary  effusion.  My  eyes  grew 
moist  as  I  read  this  unconscious  appeal,  and  Alex,  who 
was  sitting  within  a  couple  of  feet  of  me,  bent  suddenly 
forward  and  asked,  irritably : 

"What  is  the  matter  now,  Muzzi?  Any  bad  news? 
You  are  as  pale  as  a  ghost.  Who  has  been  bothering 
you?" 

"Nobody,  my  dear,"  I  replied,  with  some  impatience. 

357 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A  PRINCESS 

"  If  you  are  so  curious,  I  may  tell  you  that  this  letter  is 
merely  from  a  friend  of  mine  who  is  seriously  ill." 

"Oh,  indeed!"  he  exclaimed.  "A  very  dear  friend, 
then,  I  presume?" 

"  Very/'  I  said,  shortly,  nettled  by  his  tone,  and,  rising 
from  my  chair,  I  swept  out  of  the  room.  Jealousy  is  a 
feeling  I  despise.  It  lowers  the  object  thereof  as  much 
as  the  person  who  inflicts  it,  and  I  never  could  tolerate 
it.  Alex  was,  therefore,  in  disgrace,  and  I  seized  the 
first  possible  opportunity  to  bring  my  visit  to  a  close, 
leaving  him  apparently  very  disconsolate,  but  deserved- 
ly so,  in  my  humble  opinion. 

Upon  my  arrival  in  town  I  was  requested  by  the  Em- 
press to  precede  her  to  the  south  of  France,  where  she 
intended  to  spend  a  few  weeks.  While  there  I  met  Fred, 
lounging  under  the  palm-trees,  gazing  with  evidently 
incurable  melancholy  upon  the  thickets  of  high  rose- 
laurel,  the  hedges  of  cactus  and  aloes,  and  the  oily  blue 
waves  which  are  the  greatest  characteristic  of  this  re- 
gion, de  I'eternel  printemps. 

He  did  not  look,  when  we  so  unexpectedly  met,  as  if 
"granted  wishes  were  self-sown  curses."  His  thin  face 
lighted  up  extraordinarily,  and  he  was  so  visibly  en- 
raptured that  I  felt  deeply  touched. 

Admirable  feminine  logic!  Enviable  faculty  of  car- 
ing for  persons  in  proportion  to  the  need  they  have  of 
one! 

I  do  not  know  whether  other  women  are  like  myself 
in  this  respect ;  the  man  who  begs  you  to  lean  upon  his 
strength  and  to  take  shelter  under  the  almighty  wings 
of  his  protection  has  never  appealed  to  me!  My  life 
has  been  one  long  resistance  to  the  insufferable  conceit 
of  the  "stronger  sex"  with  all  its  attending  parapher- 
nalia of  superiority,  and  yet  I  hate  a  "  new  woman  " — 
more  than  that,  I  despise  those  of  my  sisters  who  claim 

358 


THE   TRIBULATIONS   OF   A  PRINCESS 

equality  with  their  mankind.  This  seems  to  be  an  in- 
solvable  puzzle  and  paradox,  and  an  aphorism  as  well, 
and  so  I  must  not  linger  over  it.  The  tender,  soft- 
hearted male  being,  who  is  manly  with  everybody  but 
myself,  is  what  I  like  and  admire,  because  perchance  a 
man's  weakness,  his  tears  even,  his  clinging  love,  are 
the  subtlest  of  all  flatteries  when  such  feelings  are  dis- 
played to  me  alone.  Otherwise  I  would  certainly  call 
them  contemptible.  Hercule  filant  aux  pieds  d'Om- 
phale — that's  the  billet,  evidently,  but  Omphale  must 
be  myself,  that  goes  without  saying — on  est  igdiste  h 
ses  heures  I 

With  the  sea  at  our  feet  and  the  mountains  at  pur 
back,  we  spun  out  a  very  pretty  idyl  during  those  golden 
days  on  the  C6te  d'Azur.  He  loved  me.  He  was  ill 
and  helpless  and  reliant  upon  me,  poor,  dear  old  boy,  and 
finally  I  promised  to  marry  him.  A  quiet  life  for  a  little 
while  is  very  wholesome,  but  very  impractical.  I  lost 
sight  of  the  fact  that  a  tremendous  commotion  would 
be  created  by  such  a  decision  on  my  part.  I  did  not 
realize  that,  when  once  we  are  of  the  world  worldly,  we 
cannot  easily  get  rid  of  the  world  and  of  its  bitterly  un- 
charitable way  of  judging  situations.  I  was  serenely 
indifferent.  Once  I  had  married  to  please  my  mother, 
and  once  was  enough,  I  fancied.  That  is  just  what  I 
thought.  Of  late  years  I  had  always  done  what  I  chose, 
I  had  always  been  obeyed  when  I  spoke,  why  should  I 
not  persevere? 

I  began  to  think  seriously  that  the  thing  was  feasible. 
The  difference  of  race,  of  nationality,  of  religion,  and 
others,  were,  I  knew,  tallish  obstacles,  but  I  relied  on 
my  influence  and  on  my  Breton  stubbornness  to  get  over 
them  with  flying  colors.  Alas!  poor  colors,  how  often 
they  were  made  to  dip  before  the  storm! 

There  is  something  of  the  savage  in  all  of  us;  at 

359 


THE   TRIBULATIONS    OF   A   PRINCESS 

times  we  get  tired  of  the  trumpery  and  folly  of  the  world, 
and  we  deem  it  pleasant  to  lose  it,  for  we  are  then  espe- 
cially conscious  of  its  shallowness,  of  its  sheer  imbecili- 
ties, its  cruelties,  and  its  insincerity.  I  hate  notoriety  of 
all  kinds,  for  it  hurts  my  pride,  and  I  look  upon  it  with 
ineffable  contempt  and  disdain,  but  notoriety  is  one  of 
the  finest  products  of  our  civilization,  carried  to  a  fine 
point,  indeed,  and  is  enviable  to  many.  As  Fred's  wife 
I  could  once  and  for  all  "  plant  my  cabbages  in  peace  " — 
as  Pauline  would  have  said — of  that  I  felt  certain,  which 
shows  that  one  must  never  be  sure  of  anything. 

"  Les  d£licats  sont  malheureux  ; 
Rien  ne  saurait  les  satisfaire." 

Festina-lente,  Pazienzal  The  world  can  take  its  re- 
venge, and  does  so,  as  a  rule,  pretty  thoroughly  upon 
those  who  at  heart  despise  it,  and  who  dare  to  show  that 
they  do.  Ah!  even  now,  I,  who  pride  myself,  unduly 
perhaps,  on  being  somewhat  of  a  stoic  philosopher, 
turn  pale  and  shiver  with  a  vague  and  intangible  terror 
when  I  think  of  all  the  misery  we  went  through.  Fort- 
unately my  will  was  iron  to  endure,  therefore  I  trained 
myself  to  give  no  sign  of  distress,  to  show  no  inclination 
of  yielding  after  the  fight  had  begun,  and  the  poor  world, 
great  spy  though  it  be,  how  surely,  how  universally  it 
can  be  chicaned !  If  the  hidden  canker  ate  in  the  heart 
of  the  rose,  none  were  the  wiser,  nor  dreamed  that  so 
many  repeated  blows  had  been  felt  through  a  well- 
tempered  armor.  Forced  to  watch  the  slow  approaches 
of  the  pitiless  flame,  the  prisoner  chained  to  the  stake 
finds  joy  in  disregarding  outwardly  this  gradual  on- 
ward creeping,  for  to  fool  the  world  is  a  legitimate  and 
delicious  pastime  when  one's  conscience  is  at  rest  and 
reproaches  one  nothing. 

The  first  intimation  of  my  resolve  was  met  by  a  veri- 

360 


THE  TRIBULATIONS    OF  A   PRINCESS 

table  hurricane  of  violent  protest.  Everybody  made  it 
his  or  her  business  to  interfere,  to  entreat,  to  command, 
to  intrigue,  to  attempt  force  even — which  was  the  worst 
and  most  dangerous  step  which  might  have  been  taken, 
for  it  anchored  me  more  firmly  in  my  decision. 

Morning,  noon,  and  night,  early  and  late,  at  all  pos- 
sible times  and  moments,  I  was  attacked,  implored, 
and  threatened  by  turns.  Nor  was  Fred  spared,  for  his 
people  wrere  just  as  adverse  to  the  whole  thing  as  were 
mine.  A  religious  warfare  was  the  cover  for  many 
other  causes  of  disagreement  too  long  and  too  wearisome 
to  describe.  Fred's  father  stood  my  friend  through 
it  all.  He  was  a  trump,  a  bona-fide  stand-by,  and  as 
fine  a  gentleman  as  ever  drew  breath.  Poor  dear,  he 
went  through  his  share  of  sorrow  on  our  behalf,  and  we 
brought  into  his  life  a  sense  of  stormier  emotion  than  we 
cared  to  raise.  He  became  passionately  attached  to  me, 
and  I  to  him ;  and  every  blow  directed  at  me  and  which 
struck  him  maddened  me  with  rage. 

Here  again  I  pause  before  the  inadequacy  of  words, 
the  impotency  of  such  tools  as  pen  and  ink,  to  evoke  be- 
fore the  mind  of  a  reader  the  bitter-sweetness  or  sweet- 
bitterness  of  situations  one  has  lived  through,  but  is 
powerless  to  recount.  The  beautiful  loyalty  and  stead- 
fastness of  Fred,  the  risks  we  ran,  the  dangers  we  mar- 
vellously escaped,  the  anguish  we  often  felt,  all  these 
terrible  sensations  belong  to  the  vast  number  of  inde- 
scribable things.  Fiction  treats  such  chapters  in  a 
hero's  or  a  heroine's  life  much  better  and  much  more  ably 
than  truth,  for  truth  clips  the  wings  of  the  would-be 
writer,  and  with  a  weary  sigh  the  poor,  troubled  scribe 
allows  a  sense  of  the  impossibility  of  such  a  task  to 
weigh  down  pinions  fluttering  with  a  desire  to  soar. 
Et  voilh  comme  on  ecrit  I'histoire.  Great  sorrow's,  great 
sacrifices,  great  loves,  great  joys  are  best  left  to  the 

361 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

imagination.     So  are  great  hatreds,  for  dissection  suits 
them  ill,  and  yet — 

"Je  suis  si  bien  gu£rie  de  cette  maladie, 

Que  j'en  doute  parfois  lorsque  j'y  veux  songer; 
Et  quand  je  pense  aux  lieux  ou  j'ai  risque  ma  vie, 

J'y  crois  voir  a  ma  place  un  visage  Stranger ! 
Muse,  sois  done  sans  crainte,  au  souffle  qui  t'inspire, 

Nous  pouvons  sans  peril  tous  deux  nous  confier 
II  est  doux  de  pleurer,  il  est  doux  de  sourire 

Au  souvenir  des  maux  qu'on  pourrait  oublier." 


CHAPTER   XX  AND  LAST 

"I  landed  on  the  shore,  my  sails  I  furled, 
A  dreadful  tempest  bravely  I  withstood; 
Past  Scylla  and  Charybdis  dangers  dread — 
My  brow  did  sweat. 

"I  yet  have  vineyards  and  far-reaching  fields 
Of  golden  grain,  while  love  and  liberty 
Dwell  in  my  house;  and  from  my  gracious  God 
Shall  I  ask  more?" 

UPON  leaving  the  Cote  d'Azur  I  went  straight  north 
and  reached  my  home  on  a  Monday,  followed  by  Fred 
at  two  days'  interval.  At  seven  o'clock  on  the  following 
Saturday  I  drove  to  the  railway  station  in  order  to  take 
the  Paris  express.  It  was  not  so  cold  as  on  the  pre- 
ceding days,  although  it  was  still  snowing  slightly, 
but  the  dark  sky  and  slushy  streets  looked  dismal,  and 
deepened  my  depression.  Notwithstanding  the  early 
hour  and  the  inclemency  of  the  weather,  several  of 
my  intimate  friends  who  had  stuck  to  me  through  thick 
and  thin  came  to  the  station  to  bid  me  good-bye,  and, 
as  my  brougham  stopped  in  front  of  the  large  terminus, 
Fred  ran  down  the  steps  and  offered  me  his  arm  to  lead 
me  towards  my  saloon  carriage.  It  wanted  but  a  few 
minutes  of  the  hour  of  departure,  and  they  were  fully 
occupied  by  leave-takings  and  wishes  for  a  speedy  re- 
turn. 

I  laughed  and  talked  feverishly,  shielding  my  eyes 
with  a  bunch  of  violets  I  carried,  for  I  dreaded  that  they 
might  tell  their  own  tale.  As  I  was  about  to  enter  the 
train,  I  approached  Fred  and  extended  my  hand  to  him ; 

363 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

he  raised  it  to  his  lips  with  a  look  of  unutterable  ten- 
derness and  said,  in  a  low  voice,  "  Que  Dieu  votis  garde 
et  vous  assiste." 

I  drew  myself  up,  and  there  was  a  confident  and 
trustful  smile  on  my  lips  as  I  looked  him  full  in  the 
face.  I  felt  that  the  corners  of  my  mouth  quivered  a 
little,  but  I  did  not  reply,  and,  turning  to  my  courier, 
I  gave  him  my  instructions  about  our  trip.  I  then 
took  my  place,  the  little  knot  of  friends  said  their  last 
God-speed,  and  the  train  began  slowly  to  move  upon 
its  way.  Once  more  I  fixed  my  eyes  upon  Fred's  pale, 
drawn  face,  with  the  same  intention  of  cheering  confi- 
dence. As  I  sank  back  in  my  seat  the  express  passed 
out  of  the  station,  rolled  on  faster,  and  in  a  moment 
had  left  the  dear  city  I  loved  so  well  far  behind. 

The  snow  lay  deep  on  the  country.  The  train  rushed 
onward  through  pine  forests,  with  their  sombre  masses 
of  fir  and  Siberian  arolla  looking  dusky  in  the  grayness 
of  the  day.  Everywhere  there  was  frozen  water,  and 
in  the  dim  distance  the  snowy  ranges  of  the  mountains 
were  barely  discernible  through  the  mist. 

For  a  long  time  I  sat  silently  watching  the  blurred 
landscape,  thinking  of  Fred  and  of  the  mysterious  future 
I  was  going  to  enter  upon  for  his  sake.  It  was  soothing 
to  feel  that  I  was  his  only  care,  and  it  was  with  rising 
hope  that  I  gazed  on  the  brightening  panorama  that 
met  my  vision  on  every  side. 

The  track  ran  between  two  forest  roadways,  over- 
shadowed by  grand  old  trees ;  on  the  right  a  mighty 
torrent  rushed  through  heavy  bowlders,  white  with 
perpetual  foam.  Near  the  horizon  there  was  the 
gray  sheen  of  glaciers,  glittering  behind  the  naked 
branches  of  the  denuded  timber.  Where  any  of  it 
had  been  cleared,  wide  tracts  of  frozen  heather  and  of 
broom  stretched  forth  like  patches  of  brown  velvet,  and 

364 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

as  the  train  went  swiftly  onward  I  noticed  here  and 
there  some  abandoned  woodman's  hut,  under  the 
drooping  boughs  of  the  pines.  The  solemn  stillness 
of  winter  had  overtaken  the  little  chattering  mountain 
streams  and  confined  them  in  their  icy  beds,  which 
appeared  now  and  again  among  the  dead  grasses 
like  fine  traceries  of  silver. 

The  day  wore  on.  When  the  sun  began  to  sink  behind 
the  mountains  the  whole  landscape  was  for  a  moment 
illuminated  by  a  pink  -  and  -  golden  light  of  exquisite 
brilliancy.  Far  behind,  where  my  starting-point  lay,  a 
huge  bank  of  black  and  threatening  clouds  had  gather- 
ed, but  ahead  of  the  rushing  train  there  was  a  sky  of 
purest  azure,  in  which  the  crescent  of  the  new  moon 
was  beginning  to  show  its  silver  sickle. 

"This  is  a  good  omen/'  I  thought,  gazing  at  the 
strange  contrast.  "May  my  new  life  be  as  pure  and 
bright  as  the  picture  which  stretches  now  in  front  of  me. 
Life  cannot  be  unhappy  for  me  with  Fred,"  I  said 
to  myself,  half  aloud.  "  Soon  I  shall  be  his  wife,  and 
then  all  this  struggle  will  be  at  an  end." 

Again  I  sat  quite  still,  facing  the  grand  amphitheatre 
of  ice  and  snow  that  flashed  in  the  sunset  and  glowed 
like  molten  gems.  The  wintry  moon  rose  higher  in  the 
heavens.  The  descending  night  threw  its  shadowy 
veil  over  hill  and  dale,  and  in  the  far  distance  the  lights 
of  a  great  city  began  to  glimmer.  There  the  express 
stopped  for  half  an  hour,  and  then  pursued  its  hurried 
flight  through  the  increasing  darkness  and  cold.  Nest- 
ling in  the  soft  furs  of  my  couch,  I  dreamed  the  bright 
dreams  of  youth,  oblivious  of  coming  evil. 

Twenty-four  hours  later  I  arrived,  with  my  attend- 
ants, at  the  H6tel  Continental.  The  noise,  the  move- 
ment, the  brilliantly  lighted  streets  of  Paris  fatigued 
and  wearied  me.  I  stood  at  the  window  and  thought 

365 


THE   TRIBULATIONS  OF  A   PRINCESS 

again  of  Fred,  who  would  in  all  probability  reach  the 
French  capital  almost  immediately. 

At  noon  I  drove  to  my  mother's  residence.  I  had 
given  no  notice  of  my  arrival,  and  was  therefore  not 
expected.  My  Lady  Mother  was  alone  when  I  was 
announced,  and  seemed  very  much  astonished  at  my 
sudden  advent.  I  told  her  the  whole  truth,  without 
resorting  to  either  subterfuge  or  reticence,  and  her  anger 
was  terrible.  In  her  mind,  a  marriage  with  Fred  was  a 
hideous  offence  against  all  the  rules  of  worldly  wisdom 
which  she  fondly  imagined  I  had  by  now  assimilated, 
and  she  had  not  as  yet  taken  my  plans  on  the  subject 
into  serious  consideration. 

"I  wonder  how  you  dare  come  to  me,  your  mother, 
with  so  absurd  a  proposal.  All  sense  of  the  fitness  of 
things  must  be  dead  within  you  when  you  venture  to 
speak  to  me  as  you  have  just  done.  Has  that  man 
bewitched  you?  Is  he  your  lover?"  she  exclaimed, 
wrathfully. 

"You  know  that  what  you  say  is  untrue,  mother. 
Fred  is  not  my  lover,  and  you  should  think  twice  before 
you  use  such  words  to  me." 

"  I  know  nothing  of  the  kind,  and  I  believe  you  to  be 
capable  of  almost  anything,  after  what  you  have  had 
the  inconceivable  effrontery  to  tell  me." 

"  Should  I  have  come  to  you  if  I  had  fallen  so  low?" 

"Perhaps.  You  are  clever  enough  to  have  planned 
your  visit  to  me  in  order  to  blind  the  eyes  of  society  to 
your  escapade." 

"  You  think  very  ill  of  me,  mother." 

"I  do.  And  now  listen.  You  must  choose  between 
this  man  and  me.  If  you  persist  in  your  resolution 
I  will  banish  you  forever  from  my  heart  and  home.  Good 
God!  what  can  such  a  union  do  for  you?  Can  it  de- 
stroy the  past?  Why  lose  all  that  is  worth  having? 

366 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

What  you  have  just  told  me  is  known  only  to  us  both, 
to  the  Empress,  and  to  one  or  two  other  persons.  It 
must  remain  so.  The  world  need  never  find  out  your 
error  if  you  yourself  do  not  become  its  informant  by 
acquainting  it  of  your  insane  idea  with  regard  to  so  un- 
befitting a  second  marriage." 

"  Permit  me  to  repeat  that  there  has  been  no — error, 
and  never  will  be,"  I  interrupted,  as  gently  as  I  could. 

"  I  say  that  there  is!"  exclaimed  my  mother,  violently. 
"With  me  the  intention  goes  for  the  fact.  But  let  us 
end  this.  Will  you,  or  will  you  not,  obey  my  commands? 
If  you  consent  to  write  to-night  to  this  wretched  fellow, 
telling  him  that  in  accordance  with  your  mother's  wishes 
you  will  abandon  all  idea  of  marrying  him,  I  will  try 
and  forget  what  has  passed.  Should  you  refuse  to 
do  so,  I  will  consider  myself  entirely  justified  in  clos- 
ing my  doors  upon  you.  Speak  now.  What  will  you 
do?" 

"Mother,"  I  exclaimed,  "I  entreat  you  to  think  well 
before  you  act.  Remember  that  my  first  marriage  was 
entirely  and  solely  your  work.  I  was  a  guileless  and 
innocent  child,  and  knew  not  what  I  was  doing.  It  is 
not  for  you  to  turn  against  me  now  if  I  care  to  marry  an 
honest  gentleman  who  loves  and  honors  me.  How  can 
I,  at  your  bidding,  break  my  promise  to  him  who  trusts 
me,  and  all  that  for  the  sake  of  the  world's  opinion. 
You  do  not  know  what  I  have  suffered  during  all  the 
years  of  my  wedded  life  with  Karl,  else  you  would  not 
be  so  pitiless." 

"Suffered!  Why,  you  had,  and  still  have,  every- 
thing a  woman  can  wish  for — rank,  position,  youth, 
beauty,  fortune;  what  more  did  you  want?" 

"Simply  happiness,  and  a  husband  whom  I  could 
love  and  esteem  instead  of  a  d€bauch€  who  was  both 
cruel  and  faithless  to  me." 

367 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

"If  you  were  a  Christian,  you  would  know  that  a 
wife  must  bear  with  her  husband's  faults  and  charita- 
bly overlook  his  mistakes." 

"Faults,  mistakes!"  I  cried,  bitterly.  "Were  you 
to  say  crimes,  you  would  be  nearer  the  point.  He  prac- 
tised vices  so  low  that  I  would  not  defile  myself  by  even 
hinting  at  them.  I  implore  you,  mother,  reconsider 
what  you  have  said.  Let  me  come  and  live  with  you 
till  I  have  married  Fred.  Public  opinion,  which  you 
fear  so  much,  will  then  be  satisfied  about  my  choice, 
even  if  it  be  at  first  taken  by  surprise." 

"Never!"  she  exclaimed,  sternly.  "Never  will  I  con- 
sent to  sanction  your  folly.  If  you  persist  in  your 
purpose,  you  must  do  so  on  your  own  responsibility 
and  at  your  own  risk. " 

For  a  few  seconds,  which  seemed  hours  to  me,  silence 
reigned  supreme  between  us. 

"Is  this  your  last  word,  mother?"  I  said,  finally. 

"It  is.  Choose  now  the  path  you  want  to  follow," 
she  answered,  with  a  cruel  sneer. 

"My  choice  is  made,  then,"  I  replied,  hotly.  " I  can- 
not change  my  mind  for  you,  who  love  me  so  ill  that  you 
are  ready  to  sacrifice  my  life  once  more  for  the  sake  of 
society  and  society's  verdict.  I  will  marry  Fred — but 
remember  one  thing,  if  there  is  scandal  it  will  be  your 
doing,  not  mine.  For  with  your  help  it  might  have 
been  avoided.  You  are  committing  an  unpardonable 
injustice.  I  have  done  no  wrong,  and  I  swear  that  I 
will  do  nothing  that  even  you  could  blame.  One  day 
you  will  regret  your  harshness,  but  it  will  be  too  late. " 

She  rose  from  her  seat  and  stood  erect,  one  hand  rest- 
ing on  the  carved  work  of  her  high  oak  chair.  She 
looked  cold,  stately,  and  disdainful,  with  the  sweeping 
folds  of  her  black  velvet  dress  falling  to  her  feet  like  a 
queen's  robes. 

368 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

"You  have  made  your  choice.  Now  go!"  she  said, 
mercilessly. 

Under  that  last  and  intolerable  insult  I  staggered, 
then,  mastering  myself  with  a  sudden  effort,  I  bowed  low, 
and  without  a  word,  without  a  look,  I  left  my  mother's 
presence,  blindly  groping  my  way  along  the  stately 
corridors,  hardly  knowing  whither  I  went,  and  left  her 
house  with  a  burning  pain  at  my  heart. 

While  this  painful  scene  was  going  on  at  my  mother's 
residence,  Fred  had  arrived  in  Paris  and  sat  waiting  in  a 
private  salon  at  his  hotel.  The  weary  day  dragged  on 
its  course,  and  still  he  remained  without  news.  When 
night  came  on  his  anxiety  grew  unbearable,  and  when 
at  last  I  arrived  he  was  looking  ghastly.  I  advanced 
towards  him,  throwing  my  furs  from  me  as  I  moved,  and 
said,  in  a  sort  of  lifeless  way : 

"It  is  I — I  have  no  one  left  but  you  in  this  world.  I 
came  to  tell  you  this — and  also  that  I  kept  my  word 
to  you  in  full." 

Fred's  face  became  paler  yet,  and  the  tears  stood  in 
his  eyes. 

"Muzzi,  my  poor  little  Muzzi,"  he  whispered.  Then 
he  threw  his  arms  about  me  and  pillowed  my  head  on  his 
breast,  adding  softly :  "  What  has  happened,  my  dear- 
est, to  hurt  you  like  this?  What  new  pain  has  been 
laid  upon  you?" 

"My  mother  has  dismissed  me  from  her  house,  like 
the  meanest  of  her  attendants,"  I  answered,  with  a  dry, 
choking  sob.  Then,  springing  from  the  shelter  of  his 
arms,  I  began  to  pace  violently  to  and  fro,  my  chest 
rising  and  falling  with  my  labored  breathing.  In  a 
few  words  I  told  him  how  I  had  been  repulsed,  how 
shamefully  my  confidence  had  been  derided. 

"Oh,  Fred,"  I  said,  wringing  my  hands,  "you  did 
not  know  what  you  did  or  what  you  asked  when 
2  A  369 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

you  first  told  me  of  your  love.  Terrible  obstacles  will 
be  thrown  in  our  way ;  you  cannot  realize  all  that  will 
be  attempted  when  it  is  found  out  that  my  mother 
disowns  me.  She  has  warned  me  that  she  will  turn 
my  entire  family  against  me,  and  if  I  claim  my  rights 
now  I  will  be  simply  laughed  at  and  cast  away." 

"  Don't  talk  so,  my  dearest,"  interposed  Fred,  draw- 
ing me  once  more  towards  him.  "What  would  life 
be  to  me  without  you?  Do  not  be  faint-hearted  now; 
you  are  my  promised  wife,  the  woman  I  would  have 
chosen  from  a  thousand  as  the  purest  and  best,  the 
noblest  and  bravest  that  ever  lived.  Let  me  see  you 
smile  again,  and  hear  you  promise  never  to  despair. 
It  is  not  like  you  to  do  so,  and  I  cannot  bear  it." 

I  looked  up  at  him  with  eyes  in  which  tears  were 
still  swimming. 

"  Forgive  me,  Fred,"  I  said,  much  ashamed.  "  I  have 
been  odiously  weak,  more  so  than  I  ever  was  before. 
Have  no  fear;  I  will  never  let  you  see  tears  again,  what- 
ever may  happen.  Now  tell  me  what  you  want  me  to 
do;  it  is  for  you  to  decide." 

"God  bless  you,  Muzzi,"  he  murmured,  "I  will  try 
to  justify  the  confidence  you  place  in  me.  You  must 
leave  Paris  as  soon  as  you  have  put  your  affairs  in  the 
hands  of  able  and  intelligent  lawyers.  I  think  that 
Italy  will  be  the  best  spot  for  you  to  go  to  at  present.  I 
will  follow  you  there  after  a  few  days,  for  we  must  be 
careful  not  to  give  the  world  food  for  gossip,  and  I  will 
live  near  you  in  order  to  be  always  within  reach  of  your 
call.  We  will  then  be  married  quietly  and  travel  until 
the  whole  thing  is  forgotten." 

"All  right,"  I  exclaimed.  " Us  I'ont  voulu,  and  let  us 
hope  for  the  best.  Should  there  be  sorrows  and  dis- 
appointments in  store  for  us,  let  us  be  prepared  to  face 
them  courageously;  I  cannot  imagine  what  made  me 

37o 


THE  TRIBULATIONS    OF  A  PRINCESS 

lose  my  sand  like  this.  I  am  disgusted  with  myself;  " 
and  so,  indeed,  I  was. 

We  left  the  hotel  and  drove  in  my  carriage  to  the  Con- 
tinental, where  we  arrived  in  a  more  cheerful  frame  of 
mind  than  was  to  be  expected  of  us  under  the  circum- 
stances. I  was  deeply  moved  by  the  tenderness  which 
poor  Fred  displayed.  How  could  I  ever  do  enough  for 
the  dear  lad  who  loved  and  trusted  me  so  boundlessly, 
and  yet  I  felt  my  present  awful  predicament  deeply. 
I  did  not  mind  so  much  abandoning  position,  distinc- 
tions, family  ties,  but  I  knew  well  that,  however  guilt- 
less I  might  ever  remain,  slander  would  surely  reach 
me  now,  when  it  became  known  that  I  had  left  all  to 
wed  him. 

I  certainly  did  not  lack  courage,  but  I  abhorred  scan- 
dal of  every  kind,  and  I  was  very  proud  of  the  undim- 
med  glory  of  my  name.  Yet  I  felt  capable  of  braving 
calumny  and  slander — yes,  capable  of  incurring  false 
censure  if  encountered  in  the  path  of  justice  and  of  what 
I  considered  now  as  being  my  duty  to  Fred.  This  feel- 
ing made  sacrifice  easy  to  me,  and  I  felt  certain  that  he 
would  always  be  worthy  of  my  devotion  and  self-for- 
getfulness;  but  still  I  fretted  in  spite  of  my  resolutions. 

During  the  few  days  I  was  forced  to  tarry  in  Paris, 
while  definitely  arranging  all  my  affairs,  I  had  oc- 
casion to  notice  that  already  the  serpents  of  calumny 
were  at  work.  Many  who  had  been  my  devoted  friends 
until  then,  although  well  aware  of  my  presence,  forbore 
to  call  upon  me.  A  few  days  before  my  departure  for 
Italy,  as  my  carriage  was  bearing  me  through  the  Avenue 
des  Champs  Elyse"es,  on  the  way  from  my  lawyer's 
house,  I  passed  the  equipage  of  the  Russian  ambassa- 
dress, who  for  many  years  had  been  numbered  among 
my  valued  friends.  Now  the  large,  melting,  black 
eyes  of  the  Muscovite  great  lady  met  mine  with  the 

37i 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

calm,  cold  stare  of  a  stranger,  and  there  was  no  recogni- 
tion in  their  vacant  gaze  as  she  slowly  drove  on.  This 
direct  cut  smote  me  to  the  very  soul,  for  it  was  the  first 
time  in  my  career  of  perpetual  social  triumph  that  I  had 
been  thus  treated.  A  few  minutes  later  Archduchess 
S.,  who  was  staying  in  Paris  at  the  time,  passed  me, 
and  the  same  blow  was  repeated,  but  in  a  much  more 
unmerciful  fashion,  for  there  was  an  insulting  smile 
on  the  thin  lips  of  the  acrid-minded  Princess.  I  knew 
that  she  was  glad  to  be  able  at  last  to  humiliate  me — 
as  she  thought.  I  did  not  allow  a  single  flash  of  anger 
from  my  eyes  to  betray  my  feelings ;  I  negligently  lean- 
ed back  on  the  cushions  of  my  victoria  and  smiled,  a 
slow,  amused  smile.  As  soon,  however,  as  her  carriage 
had  disappeared  from  view,  I  ordered  my  coachman 
to  drive  home  as  fast  as  possible. 

Perchance  her  joy  would  have  been  more  complete 
could  she  have  known  what  a  tempest  she  had  raised 
in  my  heart.  When  I  reached  the  hotel  I  shut  myself 
in  my  rooms,  anxious  only  to  be  alone,  and  to  hide  from 
all  eyes  the  ungovernable  rage  which  made  me  tremble 
from  head  to  foot. 

For  the  first  time  I  had  tasted  the  ashes  of  humiliation, 
and  I  felt  the  experience  bitterly. 

I  sat  motionless,  with  my  back  turned  to  the  light  of 
the  windows,  my  hands  clenched,  my  teeth  set  tight, 
struggling  with  the  throes  of  abdication.  I  had  worn 
my  diadem  long  and  proudly,  and,  in  spite  of  all  avail- 
able pluck,  I  suffered  terribly.  I  felt  that  I,  who  for 
years  had  been  the  pampered  darling  of  the  great  world, 
had  just  been  treated  as  if  I  had,  after  a  fashion,  lost 
caste. 

Unfortunately  for  me,  my  mother  and  her  family  at 
once  took  sides  squarely  against  me,  and  I  had  to  fight 
my  battle  alone  and  unsupported.  Not  one  of  my  former 

372 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

friends,  except  the  Empress  and  Rudi,  whom  I  entreated 
not  to  move  in  the  matter,  stood  by  me  in  this  hour  of 
need,  and,  of  course,  Fred  could  not  take  up  the  cudgels 
on  my  behalf  without  compromising  me,  a  thing  I  dread- 
ed beyond  everything  else. 

The  anxiety  and  pain  which  I  endured  were  neverthe- 
less telling  severely  upon  me,  and  I  very  unwillingly 
lingered  in  Paris,  kept  there  by  important  business.  I 
longed  for  the  calm  and  tranquillity  of  the  country,  and 
also  for  the  end  of  this  long  and  wearisome  period  of 
tantalizing  misery  which  was  becoming  unendurable. 

One  morning,  as  I  was  sitting  alone  looking  over  some 
important  papers  which  had  been  sent  me  to  sign,  Fred 
entered  the  room.  He  looked  pale  and  tired,  and  I  saw 
at  a  glance  that  something  had  gone  wrong.  But  I 
refrained  from  questioning  him  and  greeted  him  as 
unconcernedly  as  if  I  had  noticed  nothing. 

"Have  you  heard  lately  from  the  'Great  Powers'!" 
said  he,  throwing  himself  on  an  ottoman  near  the  win- 
dow. "I  am  very  anxious  about  all  this/' 

"Yes,  I  had  a  letter  this  morning,  but  what  is  the 
good  of  worrying?  We  cannot  hurry  matters,  and  so 
we  must  try  to  bear  the  delay  patiently." 

Fred  sighed  wearily,  and  leaned  his  head  upon  his 
hand.  His  face  grew  paler  still,  and  his  lips  quivered 
slightly. 

"We  must  try  to  bear  the  delay  patiently,  must  we? 
You  do  not  seem  to  realize  how  miserable  this  very  de- 
lay makes  me,  Muzzi." 

I  passed  my  hand  over  his  forehead  with  a  soothing 
gesture,  but  said  nothing. 

"  Look  here/'  he  continued,  "  I  would  not  have  spoken 
thus  had  it  been  possible  to  keep  still,  but  I  have  heard 
to-day  that  your  mother  and  others  have  used  their 
influence  with  the  French  government  to  such  good 

373 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

purpose  that  a  decree  of  expulsion  has  been  granted 
by  the  authorities,  and  that  you  are  on  the  point  of 
being  ordered  to  leave  this  country,  for  political  rea- 
sons!" 

I  started  to  my  feet,  and  with  a  gesture  of  terrible 
anger  I  exclaimed : 

"  But  what  is  their  idea  in  doing  this?  Do  they  sup- 
pose that  persecution  will  induce  me  to  yield  to  their 
wishes?" 

"I  do  not  know,"  he  muttered,  wearily;  "they  seem 
to  love  intrigue  and  persecution  beyond  all  things,  and 
are  trying  to  tire  us  out;  to  force  us  into  our  last  in- 
trenchments.  Believe  me,  they  will  leave  no  stone  un- 
turned— I  can  see  it  now — before  they  have  ruined  you 
forever." 

"What  is  to  be  done,  then?  What  do  you  wish  me 
to  do?" 

He  looked  at  me  with  grave  tenderness,  then  he  said, 
slowly:  "It  makes  me  very  unhappy  to  think  of  the 
fate  which  I  have  brought  upon  you." 

"Fate?  There  is  no  fate  except  that  which  we  carve 
for  ourselves  in  this  world,"  I  answered,  looking  at 
him  with  fearless  eyes.  "  Don't  be  downhearted,  Fred ; 
this  is  no  time  for  losing  courage;  we  must  act,  and 
act  wisely." 

"  You  are  right,  dearest.  I  will  prove  to  you  that 
you  have  done  well  to  trust  me  after  all,  and  yet  I  cannot 
bear  to  see  you  suffer  all  this  for  my  sake. " 

"I  am  not  suffering.  I  do  not  complain.  Have 
enough  faith  in  me,  Fred,  I  beg  of  you,  to  believe  that 
no  trial,  no  pain,  will  ever  exhaust  my  stock  of  endur- 
ance. My  affection  for  you  would  be  of  little  avail  if  it 
did  not  inspire  me  at  least  with  common  courage." 

"Courage  like  yours  is  a  gift  more  rare  than  you 
think,  Muzzi;"  and  as  he  spoke  he  stooped  towards 

374 


THE  TRIBULATIONS  OF  A  PRINCESS 

me,  and,  taking  my  hand,  he  pressed  it  tenderly  in  his 
own. 

"Look  here,  Fred,"  I  continued,  "you  must  worry 
no  longer  about  what  is  past  and  done.  We  should 
now  think  only  of  the  present  and  of  the  future.  Every 
moment  is  precious.  We  know  where  our  enemies  lie, 
and  how  best  we  can  baffle  them,  for  they  will  not  spare 
us  if  we  let  them  close  around  us.  I  will  leave  Paris  at 
once ;  the  important  thing  is  to  do  so  without  attracting 
attention,  and  there  lies  the  difficulty.  However,  Heav- 
en helps  those  who  help  themselves — is  it  not  so?"  I 
added,  with  a  smile,  for  I  noticed  how  dejected  he 
looked,  and  resolved  to  rouse  him  at  any  cost  from  his 
despondency  and  to  dispel  his  gloomy  thoughts. 

When  I  found  myself  alone  once  more  that  night  all 
the  extent  of  my  troubles  came  back  to  me.  I  had  prom- 
ised Fred  to  think  matters  over  and  to  tell  him  in  the 
morning  what  course  I  would  adopt.  Although  I  was 
barely  twenty-one,  I  had  lived  a  life  which  had  taught 
me  some  harsh  lessons,  and  given  me  much  insight  into 
the  failings  of  humanity  in  general.  I  well  knew  that 
Fred's  position  was  growing  daily  more  difficult,  more 
painful,  and  I  realized  that  the  time  might  soon  come 
when  his  self-control  would  be  tried  beyond  endurance. 
He  was  a  man  of  high  principles,  but  he  was  also  a  man 
of  warmer  feelings  and  tenderer  heart  than  most,  and  I 
was  sincerely  and  deeply  sorry  for  him.  Far  into  the 
night  I  sat  in  my  dressing-room,  reclining  in  the  cosey 
depths  of  a  large  arm-chair,  thinking  despondently  of 
the  troubled  seas  I  was  navigating,  and  of  Fred's  sor- 
row and  precarious  state  of  health.  Great  tears  gath- 
ered in  my  eyes,  but  I  angrily  brushed  them  off,  for  I 
needed  strength  and  could  not  afford  to  give  way. 

When  the  light  of  dawn  began  to  glimmer  through 
the  curtains  of  my  room,  I  rose  from  my  chair  with  a 

375 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A  PRINCESS 

sigh,  and,  walking  towards  the  window,  threw  it  open, 
in  order  to  cool  my  hot  face  in  the  fresh  morning  breeze. 
My  struggle  was  ended,  my  mind  was  made  up,  and  I 
felt  as  if  that  long  night's  vigil  had  worked  a  great 
change  in  me. 

When  Fred  appeared  a  few  hours  later  I  greeted  him 
with  the  following  words,  spoken  cheerily : 

"  Fred,  I  have  thought  over  what  is  best  for  us  to  do, 
and  I  think  that  I  have  at  last  come  to  a  wise  decision." 

"Where  do  you  propose  to  go?"  he  asked. 

"To  Italy,  as  I  have  intended  all  along,  but  I  shall 
start  at  once,  to-day ;  and  I  am,  what  is  more,  going  to 
marry  you,  my  dear,  without  any  further  hesitation. 
I  have  written  to  the  Empress,  advising  her  of  my  final 
decision.  Now  let  worse  come  to  worst.  As  your  wife, 
at  any  rate,  I  will  be  an  English  subject,  and  will  escape 
the  jurisdiction  of  all  other  governments.  I  should 
have  thought  of  this  sooner.  For  your  sake  I  tried  to 
save  as  much  of  the  past  as  I  could,  and  thought  that  a 
little  diplomacy  would  achieve  this  end ;  but  enough  of 
this  nonsense.  I  am  in  the  mood  to  fight,  and  fight  I 
will — t ant  pis  pour  les  ecrases !  Patience  is  not  my  forte ; 
so  avanti,  and  may  God  be  with  us!  Let  the  responsi- 
bility of  the  future  rest  on  the  heads  of  those  who  have 
willed  it  so." 

While  I  spoke  he  had  raised  his  head,  and  was  now 
looking  at  me  with  an  adoration  passing  all  words. 
Silently  he  threw  his  arms  around  me,  and,  drawing  my 
face  close  to  his,  for  the  first  time  he  pressed  his  lips  to 

mine  in  a  long  kiss. 

******* 

The  sun  was  shining  brightly  on  the  summit  of  the 
Sabine  Mountains,  and  shedding  its  golden  light  over 
the  undulating  plains  of  the  Campagna.  Far  away,  near 
the  horizon,  there  was  a  glancing  line  that  showed  where 

376 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF  A   PRINCESS 

the  sea  was  beating  on  the  sands  near  Ostia,  while 
the  cross  of  St.  Peter's,  clearly  defined  in  the  distance 
against  the  azure  of  the  sky,  rose  proudly  above  im- 
mortal Rome. 

The  spring  had  come,  and  both  earth  and  sky  were 
wrapped  in  the  glory  of  this  season  of  youth  and  of  love. 

In  the  stately,  melancholy  rooms  of  a  spacious  villa 
which  stood  on  a  rising  slope  outside  the  gates  of  Rome, 
Fred  and  I  were  arranging  pictures,  tapestries,  statues, 
old  bronzes,  and  old  brocades,  which  lay  in  a  picturesque 
and  artistic  litter  on  the  tessellated  floor.  Outside  in  the 
shady  gardens  birds  warbled  their  morning  song  among 
the  camellias,  and  gayly  hued  butterflies  hovered  over 
the  flower-filled  lawns. 

This  was  the  place  which  we  had  rented  soon  after  our 
arrival  in  the  City  of  the  Popes,  and  we  spent  many 
hours  of  each  day  under  the  palm  and  ilex  trees  in  the 
lonely,  balmy  gardens.  The  abode  was  well  chosen, 
and  delighted  me  with  its  moss-grown  terraces,  where 
ivy  flourished,  its  walls  of  flowering  rose-trees,  and 
its  dusky,  bronze-hued  masses  of  cedar  and  magnolia. 
Here  at  last  I  felt  a  perfect  sense  of  repose,  of  peace, 
and  of  security.  I  had  left  far  behind  me  the  buzz 
and  noise  of  the  wrorld,  and  I  now  enjoyed  in  all  its 
fulness  a  complete  rest  of  body  and  soul  which  I  had 
never  known  till  then. 

Our  work  completed,  we  went  out  into  the  cool  April 
air  and  sat  on  the  marble  steps  of  the  terrace.  We  were 
happy  in  spite  of  the  knowledge  that  everybody  blamed 
us,  were  ready  to  tear  us  to  pieces  and  to  crush  us  be- 
neath their  virtuous  indignation.  Little  did  we  care 
about  society's  censure,  so  long  as  we  knew  in  our  hearts 
how  undeserved  that  censure  was.  My  second  mar- 
riage had  created  an  enormous  sensation.  None  knew 
whither  we  had  gone  to  spend  our  honeymoon,  and 

377 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

the  mystery  which  surrounded  my  disappearance  from 
social  circles  added,  no  doubt,  great  piquancy  to  the 
numerous  stories  told  about  me  under  the  shelter  of 
jewelled  fans,  in  aristocratic  salons,  or  in  smoking- 
rooms  after  the  ladies  had  retired. 

"  I  wonder  sometimes,"  Fred  said  to  me,  "  that  I  could 
have  ever  lived  without  you.  My  past  existence  seems 
to  me  like  an  utter  blank."  Sitting  at  my  feet  on  the 
terrace,  he  kissed  my  hands  with  a  lover's  first  ardor. 

The  only  stranger  who  ever  came  to  the  villa  was  a 
dear  old  priest  who  lived  near  by,  a  remarkable  man, 
much  beloved  by  all  who  knew  him.  He  became 
greatly  attached  to  us,  and,  although  a  simple-hearted 
person,  he  proved  a  great  acquisition  to  such  exiles  as 
we  were,  in  our  new,  strange  home. 

The  poor  people  of  the  neighborhood  asked  no  ques- 
tions and  showed  no  undue  curiosity,  and  we  really 
enjoyed  our  isolation  and  solitude.  All  the  stir  and 
blaze  and  noise  in  which  we  had  dwelt  for  years  were 
gone  as  though  they  had  never  existed.  A  great  and 
solemn  silence  was  always  around  us;  we  heard  noth- 
ing excepting  the  murmur  of  the  breeze  in  the  trees, 
the  distant  shouts  of  the  vine-growers,  or  the  soft,  sil- 
very notes  of  the  nightingales  in  the  dusky  park.  Never 
had  we  felt  so  perfectly  free.  We  went  out  together  in 
all  weathers  —  when  gray  floods  of  rain  drifted  noise- 
lessly over  the  Campagna,  and  when  the  wind  rose  in 
its  wrath  and  raised  columns  of  shimmering  dust  about 
us.  We  often  returned  home  drenched  to  the  skin,  but 
it  never  seemed  to  hurt  us.  My  sole  anxiety  was  lest 
Fred  should  tire  of  this  quiet,  uneventful  life. 

"Tell  me,  dear,"  I  said  one  day  to  him,  "are  you 
certain  that  you  regret  nothing?" 

He  looked  at  me.  We  were  walking  in  a  long,  shad- 
owy all4e.  It  was  a  beautiful  day ;  the  air  was  warm 

378 


THE  TRIBULATIONS   OF   A   PRINCESS 

and  fragrant,  and  it  gave  a  color  to  his  cheeks  which 
made  him  look  unusually  well. 

"Regret?"  he  exclaimed,  impatiently.  "Why  will 
you  always  say  that?  How  can  I  regret  anything 
when  I  am  near  you?  Do  you  not  see  that  my  love 
for  you  is  growing  every  day  more  intense  and  more 
passionate?" 

I  slipped  my  hand  through  his  arm  and  looked  in  his 
eyes,  my  face  uplifted  to  his. 

No,  he  certainly  did  not  look  as  if  he  regretted  any- 
thing. Men  are  strange  animals,  very  whole-souled 
sometimes,  and  very  true. 

And  now  I  will  stop  for  a  while.  I  have  tried  my 
reader's  patience  sorely,  no  doubt,  by  once  more  indulg- 
ing in  the  luxury  of  setting  down  on  paper  a  true  state- 
ment of  facts,  with  all  their  lights  and  shadows,  their 
painful  and  their  fewer  happy  sides.  There  is  more  to 
tell,  for  these  facts  took  place  long  ago,  and  I  fear  that 
I  am  becoming  a  hardened  offender,  and  thus  I  close 
now ;  but  it  is  with  a  suspicion  that  I  shall  yield  later 
to  the  temptation  of  recounting,  perchance  in  the  same 
familiar  way,  what  further  befell  us. 


FINIS 


BY  GK  W.  E.  RUSSELL 


COLLECTIONS  AND  RECOLLECTIONS.  By  One 
Who  Has  Kept  a  Diary.  With  One  Illustration. 
Crown  8vo,  Cloth,  Ornamental,  Deckel  Edges  and  Gilt 
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wearied  of  overmuch  feeding  on  the  solid  viands  of  literature. 
Especially  commendable  is  the  spirit  of  kindness  which  pervades 
the  narratives.  There  are  no  flings  at  living  pygmies  or  dead 
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THE  RIGHT  HONORABLE  WILLIAM  EWART 
GLADSTONE.  ( Queen's  Prime-Ministers.)  Portrait. 
Crown  8vo,  Cloth,  $1  00. 

Mr.  George  W.  E.  Russell,  who  writes  this  book,  has  done  a 
difficult  task  well.  The  personal  biography  is  necessarily  brief, 
because  the  plan  of  the  book  calls  for  a  political  biography,  and 
because  Gladstone  entered  public  life  at  twenty-two,  and  has  lived 
and  breathed  the  air  of  Parliament  ever  since.  Yet  it  would  not 
be  possible  to  measure  his  public  career  justly  without  that  knowl- 
edge of  his  personality  and  his  ingrained  tastes.  Mr.  Russell  has 
provided  the  needful  information  in  a  succinct  form,  and  his  final 
chapter,  in  which  he  analyzes  Mr.  Gladstone's  character,  is  elo- 
quent in  its  restraint  and  vigor  of  touch. — Atlantic  Monthly. 


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BY  FELIX  STONE  MOSCHELES 


FRAGMENTS  OF  AN  AUTOBIOGRAPHY.  Illus. 
trated  with  Photogravure  Portraits.  8vo,  Cloth, 
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few  books  that  the  reader  feels  is  not  long  enough. — Saturday 
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Mr.  Moscheles  is  not  only  a  gifted  painter  and  musician,  but  a 
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appeal  to  all. — Journal,  Albany. 

IN  BOHEMIA  WITH  DU  MAURIER.  With  63  orig- 
inal drawings  by  GEORGE  DU  MAURIER.  8vo,  Cloth, 
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not  on  the  personality,  of  that  latter-day  heroine  of  fiction  and  the 
foot-lights— Trilby. — Speaker,  London. 

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N.  Y. 

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THE    BROWNING    LETTERS 


THE  LETTERS  OF  ROBERT  BROWNING  AND 
ELIZABETH  BARRETT  BARRETT,  1845-1846. 
Illustrated  with  Two  Contemporary  Portraits  of  the 
Writers  and  Two  Facsimile  Letters.  With  a  Prefatory 
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Many  good  gifts  have  come  to  English  literature  from  the  two 
Brownings,  husband  and  wife,  besides  those  poems,  which  are  their 
greatest.  The  gift  of  one's  poems  is  the  gift  of  one's  self.  But  in  a 
fuller  sense  have  this  unique  pair  now  given  themselves  by  what  we  can 
but  call  the  gracious  gift  of  these  letters.  As  their  union  was  unique, 
so  is  this  correspondence  unique.  .  .  .  The  letters  are  the  most  opu- 
lent in  various  interest  which  have  been  published  for  many  a  day. — 
Academy,  London. 

We  have  read  these  letters  with  great  care,  with  growing  astonishment, 
with  immense  respect ;  and  the  final  result  produced  on  our  minds  is  that 
these  volumes  contain  one  of  the  most  precious  contributions  to  literary 
history  which  our  time  has  seen. — Saturday  Review,  London. 

We  venture  to  think  that  no  such  remarkable  and  unbroken  series  of 
intimate  letters  between  two  remarkable  people  has  ever  been  given  to 
the  world.  .  .  .  There  is  something  extraordinarily  touching  in  the 
gradual  unfolding  of  the  romance  in  which  two  poets  play  the  parts  of 
hero  and  heroine. — Spectator,  London. 

Certainly  the  most  remarkable  letters  ever  published. — N.  Y.  Sun. 

Sweet  with  the  joy  of  a  great  and  all-embracing  love  on  both  sides. — 
AthencFum,  London. 

A  record,  perhaps  unexampled  in  literature,  of  the  passionate  feeling 
entertained  for  each  other  by  two  souls  d' elite. — London  Times. 


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A     000  038  388     5 


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BY-THE- AUTHOR/OF 

I!  THE- MART  YRDOM-OF-AN-EMPRFSS  j 


